WASHINGTON'S    CORRESPONDENCE 


GENERAL  JOSEPH    REED    OF   PENNSYLVANIA 
DURING  THE  AMERICAN  RESOLUTION. 

Comprising  FIFTY-FOUR  ORIGINAL  AUTOGRAPH  LETTERS  written  and  signed 
by  GENERAL  WASHINGTON  ;  seven  excepted,  which  are  in  the  handwriting 
of  his  secretaries,  HAMILTON,  TILGHMAN,  and  others,  but  signed  by  him 
self  ;  commencing  at  the  time  of  his  taking  the  command  of  the  army  at 
Cambridge,  and  extending  nearly  throughout  the  whole  period  of  the  war  of 
the  Revolution.  They  were  written  to  Gen.  Joseph  Reed  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  wholly  refer  to  the  momentous  events  of  that  time  ;  the  successes 
and  reverses  of  the  army,  Arnold's  Treason,  Lee's  Defection,  Reed's  Col 
lusion  with  Lee,  &c.,  and  include  the  WHOLE  of  the  CELEBRATED  CAM 
BRIDGE  LETTERS,  twenty  in  number,  written  between  October  3Oth,  1775, 
and  April  I5th,  1776,  in  which,  by  his  own  hand,  Gen.  Washington  has 
noted  every  occurrence  of  interest  which  happened  in  his  command  during 
that  eventful  period  ;  including  an  extended  JOURNAL  OF  THE  SIEGE  OF 
BOSTON  from  the  commencement  of  the  American  works  on  Lechmere's 
Point,  until  the  evacuation  of  the  town  by  the  British. 

The  letters,  mostly  written  on  foolscap  paper,  occupy  upwards  of  two 
hundred  pages  of  an  imperial  quarto  volume,  elegantly  bound  in  green 
Levant  morocco,  gilt  edges,  by  F.  BEDFORD,  with  an  inserted  UNLETTERED 
INDIA  PROOF  IMPRESSION  of  the  full  length  portrait  of  WASHINGTON, 
painted  by  Stuart,  in  the  possession  of,  and  PRIVATELY  ENGRAVED  for  Mr. 
James  Lenox,  by  A.  H.  Ritchie.  They  are  arranged,  and  mounted  on 
guards,  in  the  best  and  most  approved  manner,  by  Mr.  Bedford,  are  in  the 
finest  possible  state  of  preservation,  and  preceded  by  a  TITLE  PAGE  and  a 
BRIEF  SYNOPTICAL  DESCRIPTION  of  the  contents  of  each  of  them  respect 
ively,  printed  by  Mr.  Munsell,  expressly  for  the  collection.  The  signatures, 
to  four  of  the  least  important  letters,  which  had  been  abstracted  while  in 
Mr.  Reed's  possession,  have  been  replaced  with  others  obtained  from  ori 
ginal  documents. 

This  invaluable  collection  remained  with  the  Reed  family  for  nearly  a  j 
century 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

Class 


SYNOPSIS  OF  PRELIMINARY  AUTOGRAPH  LETTERS,  ETC. 

u.  ORIGINAL  HEADS  OF  WASHINGTON'S  FIRST  OFFICIAL  LETTER  TO  THE  PRESIDENT  OF 
CONGRESS  ON  TAKING  COMMAND  AT  CAMBRIDGE.          .          .          2  pp.  octavo. 

Cambridge  :   [July  loth,  1775.] 
[In  the  Hand-writing  of  Washington.] 

The  Enemy  on  Bunker  Hill.  American  Lines  within  Gunshot.  Want  of  Tents.  Grateful  to 
Congress  for  its  readiness  to  make  everything  agreeable.  Want  of  Money,  Clothing,  and  Powder. 
Spencer  declines  to  serve  in  consequence  of  Putnam's  Appointment  over  him.  Spencer  gone  home 
without  leave. 

2.  QUESTIONS    FOR    COMMITTEE  OF  CONGRESS,   IN  WASHINGTON'S  AND   ANSWERS  IN 

REED'S  HAND-WRITING.  .          .          .          .          .          .         4  pp.  folio. 

Cambridge:   1775. 
[/«  the  Hand-writing  of  Washington.] 

Shall  the  British  Troops  in  Boston  be  Destroyed  at  the  risk  of  Destroying  the  Town  ?  Indian 
Chiefs  of  the  St.  Francis,  Penobscot,  Stockbridge  and  St.  John's  Tribes  have  offered  their  Services. 
How  shall  Tory  Property  be  treated  ?  What  shall  be  done  with  Dr.  Church  ?  Ought  not  Negroes, 
especially  such  as  are  Slaves,  to  be  Excluded  from  the  Service  ?  How  are  Prisoners  to  be  treated  ? 

3.  ORIGINAL  DRAFT  OF  WASHINGTON'S  LETTER  TO  HIS  GENERAL  OFFICERS.  3  pp.  folio. 

Cambridge:  September  8th,  1775. 
[Written  and  Signed  by  Washington] 

Plan  of  a  Boat  Attack  on  Boston  discussed  at  length.  Their  Views  solicited.  The  Success  of 
the  Measure  must  depend  upon  the  Suddenness  of  the  Stroke.  Soldiers  already  impatient  to  get 
home.  Desires  a  Speedy  Finish  of  the  Dispute. 

4.  JARED  SPARKS  TO  WILLIAM  B.  REED.         .....         2  pp.  quarto. 

Cambridge  :   February  2ist,  1838. 

"  All  Washington's  papers  which  were  in  my  possession^  are  now  deposited  in  the  Department  of 
State  at  Washington.  The  letters  from  Washington  to  your  grandfather,  in  1775  and  1776, 
copies  of  which  you  where  so  kind  as  to  send  me,  I  recollect  seemed  to  me  the  most  imperfect  (in 
style  and  construction}  that  I  had  ever  seen  from  his  pen.  They  were  evidently  written  in  great 
haste,  in  perfect  confidence  and  without  any  thought  that  they  would  ever  be  published." 


REPRINT 


THE  ORIGINAL  LETTERS 


FROM 


WASHINGTON  TO  JOSEPH  REED, 

\v  i  ' 


DURING 


THE  AMERICAN  REVOLUTION. 


REFERRED  TO  IN  THE  PAMPHLETS  OF  LORD  MAHON  AND  MR,  SPARKS. 


BY 

WILLIAM   B.   REED. 


UNlVeRSiTY 

,^~.. V 

~' 


PHILADELPHIA: 

A.   HART,  LATE  CAREY  AND  HART. 
1852. 


PHI  LA  DKLl-Hl  A: 
"  AND  P-  °'  COLLINS,  PRINTERS. 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE  object  of  this  republication  of  original  letters 
may  be  briefly  stated.  In  or  before  the  year  1834, 1 
forwarded  to  Mr.  Sparks,  then  engaged  in  preparing 
his  edition  of  the  Works  of  Washington,  copies  of  a 
series  of  letters  from  the  Commander-in-Chief  to  my 
ancestor,  General  Reed,  written  from  Cambridge  in 
the  years  1775  and  1776.  They  were  private  and 
confidential,  and,  on  that  account,  very  interesting 
and  valuable.  Mr.  Sparks  printed  a  number  of 
these  letters.  He  thought  it  right  to  omit  certain 
passages  in  them,  and  to  make  some  alterations  of 
phraseology,  and  it  is  possible,  though  I  have  no 
recollection  of  it,  he  apprised  me  of  having  done  so 
at  the  time.  He  certainly  did,  at  a  later  period, 
in  1838. 

In  1847,  thirteen  years  after  Mr.  Sparks's  publi 
cation,  appeared  my  Biography  of  Reed.  In  it,  I 
printed  the  Washington  letters  from  the  originals; 
the  only  variations  being  occasional  corrections  of 
grammar  and  spelling,  and  the  omission  of  one  or 


218648 


two  sentences,  evidently  the  result  of  oversight  on 
my  part. 

In  1851,  Lord  Mahon  published  the  fifth  and 
sixth  volumes  of  "  The  History  of  England  from 
the  Peace  of  Utrecht,"  and  noticed  the  difference 
of  text  between  Mr.  Sparks's  work  and  mine. 

Hence  has  arisen  a  controversy  in  which,  on  each 
side,  an  appeal  has,  at  least  impliedly,  been  made  to 
me,  as  a  disinterested  witness,  to  place  before  the 
public  the  exact  truth  with  regard  to  these  manu 
scripts. 

I  have  thought  it  my  duty  to  reprint  the  letters, 
and  to  have  them  carefully  collated,  so  that  even 
literal  variations  may  be  noted.  It  will  thus  be 
seen  that  the  imputed  blemishes  on  Washington's 
style,  as  a  rapid  and  inartificial  letter-writer,  have 
been  much  exaggerated.  The  originals  are  open 
to  the  inspection  of  any  one  who  may  desire  to 
look  at  them.  In  adopting  this  course,  and  ab 
staining  from  controversy,  I  am  actuated  by  a 
sense  of  duty  to  all  parties.  Justice  to  Lord  Mahon 
obliges  me  to  show  exactly  how  this  difficulty 
began.  lie  has  himself,  in  the  handsomest  man 
ner,  withdrawn  one  of  the  charges  he  made, 
and  is  entitled  to  the  testimony  these  documents 
afford  to  the  integrity  of  the  motive  which  led  to 
the  error.  Justice  to  Mr.  Sparks  requires  me  to 
relieve  him,  by  the  actual  exhibition  of  the  papers, 
from  the  charge  of  having  made  additions  to  the 
text  of  the  Washington  letters.  Justice  to  myself 
and  my  character  as  a  faithful  contributor  to  his 
tory,  imperatively  requires  me  to  place  distinctly 


before  the  public  the  actual  state  of  these  manu 
scripts,  and  to  have  them  properly  attested;  for  I 
have  felt,  more  than  once,  in  the  progress  of  this 
discussion,  that,  should  the  original  papers  be  de 
stroyed,  an  accident  to  which  manuscripts  are  espe 
cially  exposed,  a  serious  imputation  might  rest  on 
me  for  having  interpolated  the  very  passages  which 
Mr.  Sparks  thought  proper  to  omit.  The  only  safe 
rule  seems  to  be  that  which  was  adopted  by  Chief- 
Justice  Marshall  long  ago.  I  have  before*  me  an 
unpublished  letter  from  him  to  the  printer  of  his 
Life  of  Washington  in  1804,  in  answer  to  an  urgent 
request  for  the  suppression  of  a  passage  calculated 
to  give  pain  to  living  persons.  The  request  was 
assented  to,  but  explicit  direction  given  to  mark 
the  fact  that  a  passage  was  omitted.  This  course, 
as  far  as  possible,  I  endeavored  to  adopt  in  my  Life 
of  Reed. 

In  the  following  pages,  the  reader  will  find  accu 
rately  noted  the  variations  between  the  original 
manuscripts  and  the  copies  printed  by  myself  and 
Mr.  Sparks.  I  cannot,  in  justice,  note  one  without 
the  other.  In  this  way,  an  accurate  judgment  may 
be  formed  of  the  real  extent  of  the  alterations.  I 
have  thought  it  best  to  reprint  every  one  of  the 
letters  which  have  been  selected  by  Mr.  Sparks,  even 
wrhen  he  copied,  not  from  my  originals,  but  from  the 
letter-books,  in  order  to  show,  as  a  mere  matter  of 
literary  curiosity,  how  far  tliey  differ. 

The  letters  in  question  were  part  of  a  private 
correspondence,  the  most  friendly  and  unreserved. 


6 

Hence,  in  my  opinion,  their  value.  Their  true 
interest  depends  on  being  the  exact  transcript  of 
what  the  writers  thought  and  wrote.  It  Avas  the 
hearty,  familiar  letter-writing  of  two  friends,  between 
whom  there  had  grown  up,  in  the  daily  and  hourly 
intercourse  of  the  same  quarters  in  the  "  Rebel" 
camp,  the  most  implicit,  unsuspecting  confidence. 
Mr.  Eeed  was  not  exactly,  at  the  age  of  thirty -three, 
of  that  class  of  thoughtless  young  men  with  whom  it 
has  been  intimated  Washington,  himself  but  little 
over  forty,  was  surrounded.*  From  June  to  Octo 
ber,  1775,  Washington  and  his  "First  Secretary" 
had  occupied  the  same  house,  lived  at  the  same 
table,  shared  the  same  dangers  and  responsibilities, 
watched  and  counselled  together  as  two  men  of  af 
fectionate  unreserve  are  apt  to  do;  and  when  they 
were  separated,  the  confidence  was  not  interrupted, 
the  unreserve  not  broken;  and  Washington  writing 
to  Reed  in  Philadelphia,  was  as  if  Washington  were 
talking  to  Reed,  in  the  anxious  seclusion  of  the  head 
quarters  at  Cambridge.  Such  are  these  letters  in 
their  original  form.  At  the  time  of  their  publica 
tion,  I  had  no  doubt  that  it  was  my  duty  to  print 
them  exactly  as  they  were  written.  I  have  never 
doubted  it  since. 

The  portions  of  the  following  letters  omitted  ac- 


*  North  American  Review,  July,  1852,  p.  203.  I  mny  venture 
to  observe  that  not  a  little  of  the  asperity  which  has  disfigured  this 
controversy  is  attributable  to  the  very  unkind  tone  which  anony 
mous  writers  (always  more  or  less  irresponsible)  have  thought 
proper  to  adopt. 


cidentally  by  rne  are  noted  at  the  foot  of  each  page, 
and  those  omitted  by  Mr.  Sparks  are  in  Italics,  hi* 
changes  of  phraseology  and  omissions  being  marked 
with  a  letter  S.  in  the  margin. 

WILLIAM  B.  REED. 

PHILADELPHIA,  November  16,  1852, 


LETTERS. 

WASHINGTON   TO    REED. 


CAMBRIDGE,  8th  November, 

1775. 
DEAR  SIR, 

The  Shipwreck  of  a  Vessel, 
said  to  be  from  Philadelphia  to 
Boston,  near  Plymouth,  with  120 
pipes  of  wine;  118  of  which1  are 
saved — another  from  Boston  to 
Hallifax,  near  Beverly,  with 
about  £240  worth  of  dry  goods 
— the  taking  of  a  wood  vessel, 
bound  to  Boston,  by  Captain 
Adams — and  the  sudden  depart 
ure  of  Mr.  Randolph,  (occa 
sioned  by  the  death  of  his 
uncle,)  are  all  the  occurrences 
worth  noticing,  which  have  hap 
pened  since  you  left  this.2 

I  have  ordered  the  wine  and 
goods  to  this  place,  for  sale ;  as 
also  the  papers ;  the  latter  may 
unfold  secrets  that  may  .not  be 
pleasing  to  some  of  your  towns 
men;  and  which,  so  soon  as 
known,  will  be  communicated. 

I  have  been  happy  enough* 
to  convince  Captain  McPherson, 
as  he  says,  of  the  propriety  of 
returning  to  the  Congress — he 
sets  out  this  day,  and  I  am 
in  his  having  an  oppor- 


1  S.  "of  which  one  hundred  and 
eighteen." 


S.  " since  your  departure." 


3  S.  "I  have  convinced/' 

"  happy  enough"  is  Italicized  in 

the  original. 


10 


tunity  of  laying  before  them  a 

scheme  for  the  destruction  of  the 

naval  force  of  Gr.  Britain.      A 

letter   and   journal   of  Colonel 

Arnold's,  to  the  13th  ultimo,  is 

come  to  hand,4  copy  of  which  I      4  S.  "are"  come  to  hand. 

inclose  to  the  Congress,  and  by 

application   to   Mr.    Thompson 

you  can  see.     I  think  he  is  in 

Quebec, — if  I  hear  nothing  more 

of  him  in  five  days  I  shall  be 

sure  of  it. 

I  had  like  to  have  forgot  what 
sets?  heaviest  upon  my  mind;      5  S.  "sits." 
the  new  arrangement  of  officers, 
although  we  have  not  enough  to 
constitute  the  new  corps,  it  liatW      6  S.  "has." 
employed  the  general  officers  and 
myself  ever  since  Thursday  last, 
and  we  are  nearly  as  we  begun. 

Connecticut  wants  no  Massa- 
chusets  man  in  their  corp.  Mas- 
sachusets  thinks  there  is  no 
necessity  for  a  Rhode  Islander* 
to  be  introduced  amongst  them;7  7  S.  "into  hers." 
and  New  Hampshire  says  it's 
very  hard  that  her  valuable  and 
experienced  officers,  (who  are 
willing  to  serve,)  should  be  dis 
carded,  because  her  own  regi 
ments  under  the  new  establish 
ment  cannot  provide  for  them. 

In  short,  after  a  fourf  days' 
labour,  I  expect  that  numbers 
of  officers  who  have  given  in 
their  names  to  serve,  must  be 


*  These  words  "for  a  Rhode  Islander"  arc  not  printed  by  me. 
f  Printed  by  me  as  by  Mr.  Sparks  "few." 


11 


discarded  from  Massachusets,8 
(where  the  regiments  have  been 
numerous,  and  the  number  in 
them  small,)  and  Connecticut® 
compleated  with  a  fresh  recruit 
of  officers  from  its10  own  govern 
ment.  This  will  be  departing 
not  only  from  the  principals  of 
common  justice,  but  from  the 
letter  of  the  Resolve  agreed  on 
at  this  place;  but  at  present  I 
see  no  help  for  it.  We  are  to 
have  another  meeting  upon  the 
matter  this  day,  when  something 
must  be  hit  upon,  as  time  is 
slipping  of.  My  compliments 
to  Mrs.  Reed,  and  to  all  in 
quiring  friends.  I  am,  with 
sincerity  and  truth,  dear  sir, 

Your  affectionate  humble 

servant, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 
nP.  S.  I  had  just  finished 
my  letter  when  a  blundering 
Lieutnt  of  the  blundering  Captn 
Co  it,  who  had  just  blundered 
upon  two  vessels  from  Nova 
Scotia,  came  in  ivith  the  ace*  of 
it,  and  before  I  could  rescue  my 
letter,  ivithout  knowing  what  he 
did,  picked  up  a  candle  and 
sprinkled  it  with  grease;  but 
these  are  kind  of  blunders  which 
one  can  readily  excuse.  The 
vessels  contain  hay,  live-stock, 
poultry,  &c.,  and  are  now  safely 
moord  in  Plymouth  harbour. 
Yours,  <Scc. 


8  S.   "from 
corps." 


the   Massachusetts 


9  S.  "that  of  Connecticut." 


S.  "her." 


11  The    Postscript   omitted 
Mr.  Sparks. 


12 


II. 

CAMBRIDGE, 
20/A  Novr  1775. 

DEAR  SIR 

Your  letters  of  the  ±th  from 
New  York,  7th  and — from  Phi 
ladelphia,  (the  last  l>y  express) 
are  all  before  me,  and  gave  me 
the  pleasure  to  liear  of  your 
happy  meeting  with  Mrs.  Reed, 
without  any  other  accident  than 
that  of  leaving  a  horse  l>y  the 
way.™  *  13  S.  Omitted  by  Mr.  Sparks. 

The  bint  contained  in  the  last 
of  your  letters  respecting  your 
continuance  in  my  family;  in 
other  words,  your  wish  that  I 
could  dispense  with  it,  gives  me 
pain.  You  already,  my  dear  sir, 
knew  my  sentiments  on  this 
matter;  you  cannot  but  be  sen 
sible  of  your  importance  to  me  : 
at  the  same  time,  I  shall  again 
repeat  what  I  have  observ'd  to 
you  before,  that  I  can  never 
think  of  promoting  my  conve 
nience  at  the  expence  of  your 
interest  and  inclination.  That 
I  feel  the  want  of  you,  yourself 

can  judge™  when  I  inform  you      13  S.  You  can  judge  that  I  feel 
that  the   peculiar   situation    of     the  want,  £c. 
Mr.  Randolph's  affairs  obliged 
him  to   leave    this™  soon   after      "  S.  "this  place." 
you  did — that  Mr.  Baylor,  con 
trary  to  my  expectation,  is  not 
in  the  smallest  degree  a  penman, 
though   spirited  and   willing — 


13 


and  that  Mr.  Harrison,  though 
sensible,  clever™  and  perfectly 
confidential,  has  never  yet  mov 
ed  upon  so  large  a  scale  as  to 
comprehend  at  one  view  the  di 
versity  of  matter  which  comes 
before  me,  so  as  to  afford  that 
ready  assistance  which  every 
man  in  my  situation  must  stand 
more  or  less  in  need  of.  Mr. 
Moylan,  it  is  true,  is  very  oblig 
ing;  ho  gives  me  what  assist 
ance  he  can,  but  other  business 
must  necessarily  deprive  me  of 
his  aid  in  a  very  short  time. 
This  is  my  situation: — judge 
you,  therefore,  how  much  I 
wish'd  for  your  return,  espe 
cially  as  the  armed  vessels,  and 
the  capitol  change  (in  the  state 
of  this  army)  about  to  take 
place,  have  added  an  addi 
tional™  weight  to  a  burthen  be 
fore  too  great  for  me  to  stand 
under,  with  the  smallest  degree 
of  comfort  to  my  own  feelings. 
My  mind  is  now  fully  disclosed 
to  you,  with  this  assurance  sin 
cerely  and  affectionately  accom 
panying  of17  it,  that  whilst  you  are 
disposed  to  continue  with  me,  I 
shall  think  myself  too  fortunate 
and  happy  to  wish  for  a  change. 
Doctr.  Morgan,  (as  director 
of  the  hospital,)  is  exceedingly 
wanted  at  this  place,  and  ought 
not  to  delay  his  departure  for 
the  camp  a  moment,  many  regu- 


15  S.  "clear,"  obviously  a  mis 
print. 


16  S.  "anew  weight." 


17  S.  "of"  omitted.     It  is  also 
omitted  by  me. 


14 


lations  being  delayed™  and  ac 
counts  postponed  till  his  arrival. 
197  have  given  G.  S.  and  Col 
P.  a  hint  of  the  prevailing  re 
ports  in  Connecticut,  without 
intimating  from  what  quarter 
they  came  (for  indeed  I  have 
received  them  through  different 
channels)  in  order  to  put  them 
upon  their  guard;  they  both  deny 
the  charge  roundly,  and  wish  for 
an  oppcrtunity  of  vindication.  I 
thought  as  this  information  had 
come  to  my  ears  in  different  ways, 
it  was  best  to  speak  to  these  gen 
tlemen  in  terms  expressive  of  my 
alhorance  of  such  conduct,  and 
of  the  consequences  that  might 
flow  from  it,  and  think  it  will 
have  a  good  effect.  The  method 
you  have  suggested  o/20  the  ad 
vanced  pay,  I  very  much  ap 
prove  of,  and  would  adopt  but 
for  the  unfortunate  cramp'd 
state  of  our  Treasury,  which 
keeps  us  for  ever  under  the 
Hatches.  Pray  urge  the  neces 
sity  of  this  measure  to  such 
members  as  you  may  converse 
with,  and  the  want  of  cash  to 
pay  the  troops  for  the  months 
of  Octr  and  Novr,  as  also  to 
answer  the  demands  of  the  com 
missary  —  quartermaster  and  — 
contingencies.  To  do  all  this,  a 
considerable  sum  will  be  neces 
sary.  Do  not  neglect  to  put 
that  wheel  in  motion,  which  is 


18  S.  "  deferred. " 


The  passage  in  Italics  omitted. 


'concerning  the  advanced 


pay/ 


15 


to  bring  us  the  shirts,  medicines, 
&c.  from  New  York — they  are 
much  wanting  here,  and  cannot 
be  had,  I  should  think,  upon 
better  terms  than  on  a  loan  from 
the  best  of  kings,  so  anxiously 
disposed  to  promote  the  welfare 
of  his  American  subjects. 

Dr.  Church  is  gone  to  Gov. 
Trumbull,  to  be  disposed  of  in 
a  Connecticut  gaol,  without  the 
use  of  pen,  ink,  and  paper, — to 
be  convers'd  with  in  the  pre 
sence  of  a  magistrate  only,  and 
in  the  English  language; — so 
much  for  indiscretion  the  doctor 
will  say.  Your  accounts  of  our 
dependance  upon  the  people  of 
Great  Britain,  I  religeously  be 
lieve  ;  it  has  long  been  my  poli 
tical  creed,  that  the  Ministry 

durst  not21  have  gone  on  as  they  21  S.  " would  not  have  dared.' 
did,  but  under  the  firmest  per 
suasion  that  the  people  were  with 
them.  The  weather  has  been 
unfavourable,  however,  for  the 
arrival  of  their  transports, — only 
four  companies  of  the  17th  re 
giment,  and  two  of  the  artillery, 
are  yet  arrived  by  our  last  ad 
vices  from  Boston. 

Our  Rascally™  privateersmen  22  S.  "rascally"  omitted. 
go  on  at  the  old  rate,  mutinying 
if  they  cannot  do  as  they  please. 
Those  at  Plymouth,  Beverly, 
and  Portsmouth,  have  done  no 
thing  worth  mentioning  in  ye 
prize  way,  and  no  accounts  are 


16 


yet  received  from  those  further 
eastward. 

Arnold,  by  a  letter  which  left 
him  the  27th  ult.  had  then  only 
got  to  the  Chaudiere  Pond,  and 
was  scarce  of  provisions :  his 
rear  division,  under  the  com 
mand  of  the  noble*  Colonel 
Enos,  had,  without  his  privity 
or  consent,  left  him  with  three 
companies,  and  his  expedition 
(inasmuch  as  it  is  to  be  appre 
hended  that  Carlton,  with  the 
remains  of  such  force  as  he  had 
been  able  to  raise,  would  get 
into  Quebec  before  him,)  I  fear, 
in  a  bad  way ;  for  further 
particulars  I  refer  you  to  Mr. 
Hancock,  v:ho  has  enclosed  to 
liiin2*  copies  of  Arnold's  and 
Enos's  letters.  The  last  named 
person  is  not  yet  arrived  at  this 
camp. 

I  thank  you  for  your  frequent 
mention  of  Mrs.  Washington.  I 
expect  she  will  be  in  Philadel 
phia  about  the  time  this  letter 
may  reach  you,  on  her  way 
hither;  as  she  and  her  conductor 
(who  I  expect25  mil  be  Mr.  Cus- 
tis,  her  son,)  are  perfect  stran 
gers  to  the  road,  the  stages,  and 
the  proper  place  to  cross  Hud 
son's  River,  (by  all  means  avoid 
ing  New  York,)  I  shall  be  much 
obliged  m26  your  particular  in 
structions,  and  advice  to  her.  I 
do**  imagine,  as  the  roads  are 


23  S.  "the  noble"  omitted.  It 
is  Italicized  in  the  autograph  by 
Washington. 


24  S.  "to  whom  are  enclosed." 


S.  "I  suppose. 


20  S.  "by   your   particular   in 
structions." 
27  S.  "do"  omitted. 


17 


bad,  and  the  weather  cold,  her 
stages  must  be  short,  especially 
as  /  expect™  her  horses  will  be 
pretty  much29  fatigued,  as  they 
ivitt,  by  the  time  she  gets  to 
Philadelphia,  have  performed  a 
journey  of  at  least  450  miles, 
my  express  finding  of*  her 
among  her  friends  near  Wil- 
liamsburg,  150  miles  below  my 
own  house. 

30J.s  you  have  mentioned  no 
thing  in  your  letters  of  the  can 
non  j  (&c.j  to  be  had  from  ^V 
Ykj  Ticonderoga,  &c,  I  have, 
in  order  to  reduce  the  matter  to 
a  certainty,  employed  Mr.  Knox 
to  go  to  those  places,  compleat  our 
wants,  and  to  provide  such  mili 
tary  stores  as  St.  John's  can 
spare. 

My  respectful  compliments  to 
Mrs.  Reed,  &c. 

Be  assured  that  I  am, 
Dear  sir,  with  affectionate 

regard, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 
Flints  are  greatly  wanted  here."\ 


28  S.  "I  presume." 

29  S.  "pretty   much"    omitted, 
and  "when  they  get  to  Phila 
delphia"  instead  of  "by  the  time 
she  gets." 


50  S.   The   rest 
omitted. 


of    the    letter 


*  The  word  "  of"  omitted  by  me,  and  printed  "having  found"  by  Mr. 
Sparks. 

f  This  "P.  S."  omitted  by  me  and  by  Mr.  Sparks.  It  is  written  along 
the  margin  in  the  original. 


18 


ill. 


CAMBRIDGE,  28th  Nov.  1775. 

DEAR  SIR, 

By  post  I  wrote  to  you  yester 
day  in  answer  to  your  letter  of 
the  l.Qth  since  which31  your  fa 
vours  of  the  15th  and  17th  are 
come  to  hand.  In  one  of  these™ 
you  justly  observe  that  the  sud 
den  departure  of  Mr.  Randolph 
must  cause  your  absence  to  be 
the  more  sensibly  felt.  L  can 
truely  assure  you  that  I  miss 
you  exceedingly,  and  if  an  ex 
press  declaration  of  this33  be 
wanting  to  hasten  your  return, 
I  make  it  most  heartily,  and 
•with  some  pleasure,  as  Mr. 
Lynch,  in  a  letter  of  the  13th 
(received  with  yours,}**  gives 
this  information.  "In  conse 
quence  of  your  letter  by  Colo 
nel  Reed,  I  applied  to  the  Chief 
Justice,  who  tells  me  the  Su 
preme  Courts  are  lately  held, 
and  that  it  will  be  some  time 
before  their  term  will  return, 
that  he  knows  of  no  capitol  suit 
now  depending,  and  that  it  is 
very  easy  for  Colonel  Reed  to 
manage  matters  so  as  not  to  let 
that  prevent  his  return  to  you  ;* 
I  am  sure  Mr.  Chew  is  so  heart 
ily  disposed  to  oblige  you,  and 


31  S.  Part  in  Italics  omitted 


32  S.  "In  one  of  them.' 


33  S.  "of  this"  omitted. 


34  S.  "omitted." 


*  The  words  "that  prevent"  omitted  by  me. 


19 


35  S.  "for." 


to  serve  the  cause,  that  nothing 
in  his  power  will  be  wanting." 

I  could  wish,  my  good  friend, 
that  these  things  may  give  a 
spur  to  your  inclination  to  re 
turn,  and  that  I  may  see  you 
here  as  soon  as  convenient,  as35 
I  feel  the  want  of  your  ready 
pen,  &c.  greatly. 

What  an  astonishing  thing  it 
is  that  those  who  are  employed 
to  sign  the  Continental  Bills 
should  not  be  able  or  inclined 
to  do  it  as  fast  as  they  are 
wanted.  They  will  prove  the 
destruction  of  the  army  if  they 
are  not  more  attentive  and  dili 
gent.  Such  a  dearth  of  publick 
spirit*  anda6  want  of  virtue,  such 
stock-jobbing  and  fertility  in  all 
the  low  arts  to  obtain  advan 
tages,  of  one  kind  or  another, 
in  this  great  change  of  military 
arrangem*,  I  never  saw  before, 
and  pray  God?1  I  may  never 
be  witness  to  again.  What  will 
be  the  ultimate38  end  of  these 
manouvres  is  beyond  my  scan. 
I  tremble  at  the  prospect.  We 
have  been  till  this  time  enlisting 
about  3500  men.  To  engage 
these,  I  have  been  obliged  to 
allow  furloughs  as  fur  as  50  men 

a39  Regiment;  and  the  officers,  I      39  S.  "to  a  regiment/ 
am  persuaded,  endulge  as  many 
more. 


36  S.  "swc/iwant." 


S.  "pray  God's  mercy." 


38  S.  "ultimate"  omitted. 


Spirit"  omitted  by  me. 


20 


The  Connecticut  troops  will 
not  be  prevailed  upon  to  stay 
longer  than  their  term,  (saving 
those  who  have  enlisted  for  the 
next  campaign,  and40  mostly  on 
furlough,)  and  such  a  dirty," 
mercenary  spirit  pervades  the 
whole  that  I  should  not  be  at 
all  surpriz'd  at  any  disaster  that 
may  happen.  In  short,  after  the 
last  of  this  month,  our  lines  will 
be  so  weakened  that  the  minute 
men  and  militia  must  be  calPd 
in  for  their  defense,  —  42these 
being  under  no  kind  of  govern 
ment  themselves,  will  destroy 
the  little  subordination  I  have 
been  labouring  to  establish,  and 
run  me  into  one  evil  whilst  I 
am  endeavouring  to  avoid  an 
other  ;  but  the  lesser*3  must  be 
chosen.  Could  I  have  foreseen 
what  I  have,44  and  am  like  to  ex 
perience,  no  consideration  upon 
earth  should  have  induced  me 
to  accept  this  command.  A 
regiment  or  any  subordinate 
department  would  have  been  ac 
companied  with  ten  times  the 
satisfaction, — perhaps  the  hon 
our. 

45 1 think  Unformed youin  my 
letter  of  yesterday,  that  we  had 
taken  possession  off  and  had 
fortified  Cobble  Hill,  and  several 
points  round  the  Bay,  between 


40  S.  "and  are." 

41  S.  "dirty"  omitted. 


43  S.  "and  these." 


43  S.  The  "less." 


44  S.  "experienced/ 


S.  Passage  in  Italics  omitted. 


*  "  Of "  omitted  by  me. 


21 


that  and  Roxbury.  In  a  night 
or  two  more,  we  shall  begin  our 
work  on  Litchmore's  Point; 
when,  doubtless,  we  shall  be  hon- 
ourJd  with  their  notice,  unless 
Gen' I  Howe  is  waiting  the  fa 
vourable  moment  he  has  been  told 
of,  to  aim  a  capitol  blow;  which 
is  my  fixed  opinion. 

The  Congress  already  know, 
from  the  general  estimate  given 
in  (for  a  month)  what  sum  it 
will  take  to  supply  this*6  army; 
and  that  little  less  than  275,000 
dollars  will  answer  the  purpose. 

Pray  impress  this  upon  the 
members,  and  the  necessity  of 
forwarding  the  last  sum  voted, 
as  100,000  dollars  will  be  but 
a  flea-bite*7  to  our  demands  at 
this  time.  *8Did  I  not  in  one 
of  my  late  letters  inform  you,  that 
I  had  sent  Mr.  Knox  throw  New 
York  to  General  Schuyler  to  see 
what  artillery  I  could  get  from 
those  places?  He  has  been  set  out 
upon  this  business  about  ten  days, 
and  I  hope  will  fall  in  with  the 
Committee  of  Congress.  Powder 
is  also  so  much  wanted,  that  no 
thing  without  it  can  be  done. 

I  wish  that  matter  respecting 
the  punctilio,  hinted  at  by  you, 
could  come  to  some  decision  of 
Congress.  I  have  done  nothing 
yet  in  respect  to  the  proposed 
exchange  of  prisoners,  nor  shall 
I  noiv*9  until  I  hear  from  them, 


S. 


army. 


47  S.  "totally  inadequate." 

48  S.  Passage  in  Italics  omitted. 


49  S.  "now"  omitted. 


22 


or  you,  on  this  subject.  I  am 
sorry  Mr.  White  met  with  a 
disappointment  in  the  Jerseys, 
as  I  could  wish  not  to  be  under 
the  necessity,  from  any  former 
encouragement  given  him,  of 
taking  him  into  my  family.  I 
find  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
that  the  Aids  to  the  Command- 
er-in-Chief,  should  be  ready  at 
their  pen  (which  I  believe  he  is 
not)  to  give50  that  ready  assist 
ance  that  is  expected  of  them ; 
517  shall  make  a  lame  hand 
therefore  to  have  two  of  this 
kidney. 

It  would  give  me  singular 
pleasure  to  provide  for  those 
two  gentlemen  mentioned  in 
your  letter,  but  believe  me,  it 
is  beyond  the  powers  of  con 
ception  to  discover5*  the  absurdi 
ties  and  partiality  of  these  peo 
ple,  and  the  trouble  and  vexation 
I  have  had  in  the  new  arrange 
ment  of  officers.  After  five,  I 
think,  different  meetings  of  the 
gen'l  officers,  I  have  in  a  manner 
been  obliged  to  give  in53  to  the 
humour  and  whimsies  of  the 
people,  or  get  no  army.  The 
officers  of  one  government  would 
not  serve  in  the  Regiments  of  an 
other,  (although  there  was  to  be 
an  entire  new  creation) — a  captn 
must  be  in  this  Regiment,  a  sub 
altern  in  that  company;  in  short 
I  can  scarce  tell  at  this  moment 


50  S.  "to  render,"  and  "ready" 

omitted. 

51  S.  Sentence  in  Italics  omitted. 


52  S.  "to  realize/ 


S.  "to  yield." 


23 


in  what  manner  they  are  fixed. 
Some  time  hence  strangers  may 
be  brought  in,  but  it  could  not 
be  done  now,  except  in  an  in 
stance  or  two,  without  putting 
too  much  to  the™  hazard. 

^7  have  this  instf  by  express 
received  the  agreeable  news  of  the 
capitulation  of  Montreal.  The 
acct  of  it,  you  also,  undoubtedly 
have.  Poor  Arnold,  I  iconder 
where  he  is.  Enos  left  him  with 
the  rear  division  of  his  army, 
and  is  now  hear  under  arrest. 

What  can  your  brethren  of  the 
law  mean  by  saying  your  perqui 
sites  as  Secretary  must  be  con 
siderable?  I  am  sure  they  have 
not  amounted  to  one  farthing. 
Captain  Blewer  waits,  and  there 
fore,  I  shall  add  no  more  than 
that  I  am,  dear  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  and 
affectionate  servant, 
G°  WASHINGTON. 

P.  S.5B  Please  to  kt  Col°  Lee 
know  that  I  answer' d  his  query 
by  last  post  respecting  the  arm'd 
vessels  of  this  Province,  and  those 
fitted  out  by  the  Continent. 


M  S.  "to  hazard." 

55  S.  Passage  in  Italics  omitted. 


50  S.  Postscript  omitted. 


24 


IV. 

CAMBRIDGE,  30th  Novr  1775.* 

DEAR  SIR, 

Two  days  ago  I  wrote  fully  to 
you  by  Captain  Blewer — to  this 
letter  I  refer,  since  which  your 
favr  of  the  20th,  with  the  agree 
able  Postscript  of  the  21st,  is 
come  to  hand,  and  demands  my 
acknowledgments  for  the  civility 
intended  Mrs.  Washington  by 
you,  &c. 

I  have  a  very  singular  plea 
sure  in  informing  off  you,  that 
by  express  last  night  from  Cape 
Ann,  I  received  the  glad  tidings 
of  the  capture  of  the  Nancy  store- 
ship  from  London,  by  Captn. 
Manlcy,  contents  as  pr  the  in 
closed  copy,  (taken  by  Mr. 
Pierce,  to  save  me,  you  must 
know,  the  trouble  of  innumera- 
tion.)  He,  unluckily,  miss'd 
the  greatest  prize  in  the  world; 
their  whole  ordinance,  the  ship 
containing  it  being  just  ahead, 
but  he  could  not  have  got  both; 
and  we  must  be  thankful,  as  I 
truly  am,  for  this  instance  of 
Divine  favour ;  for  nothing, 
surely,  ever  came  more  a  propos 
— that  no  part  of  it  may  slip 
throw  my  fingers,  (for  I  have 


*  This  letter  is  not  printed  at  length  in  Mr.  Sparks's  collection,  but  an 
extract  -will  be  found  in  a  note  at  p.  157  of  his  3d  volume.  The  part  ex 
tracted  is  within  brackets  on  the  next  page. 

f  "  Of"  omitted  by  me. 


25 


no  doubt  as  this  capture  was 
made  in  sight  of  the  other  ves- 
sell,  of  there  being  some  bold 
push  to  recover  it)  I  instantly 
upon  receiving  the  ace*,  ordered 
four  companies  down  to  protect 
the  stores;  teams  to  be  impress'd 
to  remove  them  without  delay ; 
and  Col°  Glover  to  assemble  the 
minute  men  in  the  neighbour 
hood  of  Cape  Ann,  to  secure  the 
removal  to  places  of  safety. 

The  colouring  of  that  affair  at 
Litchmore's  Point  has  been  ra 
ther  too  high.  [The  alacrity  of 
the  rifflemen  and  officers  upon 
that  occasion  did  them  honour, 
to  which  Col  Patterson's  regi 
ment  and  some  others  were 
equally  entitled,  except  in  a  few 
instances ;  but  the  tide,  at  that 
time  was  so  exceedingly  high  as 
to  compel  a  large  circuit  before 
our  men  could  get  to  the  Causey?7 
by  which  means  the  enemy,  ex 
cept  a  small  covering  party,  (dis 
tant  from  the  dry  land  on  this 
side  near  four  hundred  yards,) 
had  retreated,  or  were  about  to 
imbark;  all  the  shot  therefore 
that  pass'd  were  at  a  great  dis 
tance;  however,  the  men  went 
to  and  over  the  Causey,  (except 
as  before  mentioned^  spiritedly 
enough. 

This  little  manouvre  of  the 
enemy  is  nothing  more  than  a 
prelude.  We  have  certain  advice 


S.  "causeway. 


58  S.  " except   as   before    men 
tioned"  omitted. 


26 


of  a  scoundrel  from  Marblehead, 
a  rnan  of  property,  having  car 
ried  into  General  How  a  true 
state*  of  the  temper  and  disposi 
tion  of  the  troops,  towards  the 
new  Inlistment;  and  hath™  given 
him  the  strongest  assurances  of 
the  practicability  of  making  him 
self  master  of  these  lines  in  a 
very  short  time,  from  the  disaf 
fection  of  the  soldiery  to  continue 
in  service.60  I  am  endeavouring 
to  counteract  him,  how  effec 
tually  time  alone  can  show. 

I  began  our  bomb-battery  onQi 
Litchmore's  Point  last  night; 
the  workg  party  came  off  at 
day62  without  having  met  with 
any  interruption;  the  weather 
favour' d  our  operations,  the 
earth  being  clear  of  frost ;  not63 
an  officer  in  the  army  but  looks 
for61  an  attack.  This  has  no 
effect  upon  the  Connecticut  re 
giments,  they  are  resolved  to  go 
off.]  My  best  respects  to  Mrs. 
Reed  and  any  other  friends.  Be 
assured  I  am,  dear  sir,  yr  affect6 
G°  WASHINGTON. 


59  S.  "hath"  omitted,  and 
printed  by  me  " having." 


60  S.  "disaffection  of  the  soldiers 
to  the  service." 

61  S.  "at." 


63  S.  "in  the  morning." 


63  S.  "  there  is  not." 


64  S.  "who  does  not  look  for." 


V. 


CAMBRIDGE,  15^/i  Deer  1775. 

DEAR  SIR 

Since  my  last  I  have  had  the 
pleasure  of  receiving   your  fa- 


*  Printed  by  rue  "  statement." 


27 


vours  of  the  28th  ulto.  and  2d 
inst*.  I  must  again  express  my 
gratitude  for  the  attentions  shewn65  65  S.  "shown  to." 
Mrs.  Washington  at  Philadel 
phia.  It  cannot  but  be  pleasing, 
altho  it  did  in  some  measure 
impede  the  progress  of  her  jour 
ney  on  the  road.m  I  am  much  G0  S.  "on  the  road"  omitted, 
obliged  to  you  for  the  hints  con 
tained  in  both  of  the  above  let 
ters,  respecting  the  jealousies 
which  you  say  are  gone  abroad. 
I  have  studiously  avoided,  in  all 
letters  intended67  for  the  publick  67  S.  "calculated." 
eye,  I  mean  for  that  of  the  Con 
gress, — every  expression  that 
could  give  pain  or  uneasiness ; — 
and  I  shall  observe  the  same 
rule  with  respect  to  private  let 
ters,  further^  than  appears  abso-  6s  S.  "any  further." 
lutely  necessary  for  the  illucida- 
tion  of  facts.  I  cannot  charge 
myself  with  incivility,  or  what, 
in  my  opinion,  is  tantamount, 
ceremonious  civility,  to  the  Gen 
tlemen  of  this  Colony;  but  if 
such  my  conduct  appears,  I  will 
endeavour  at  a  reformation,  as 
I  can  assure  you,  my  dear  Reed, 
that  I  wish  to  walk  in  such  a 
line  as  will  give  most  general 
satisfaction.  You  know  that  it 
was  my  wish  at  first  to  invite  a 

certain  number  of  gentlemen00  of     G9  S.  " the  gentlemen." 
this  Colony  every  day  to  dinner, 

but  unintentionally,  7°/  believe      7°  S.  "I  believe  by  any  body" 
by  any  body,  we  some  how  or      omitted, 
other  missed  of  it;  if  this  has 


28 


given  rise  to  the  jealousy,  I  can* 
only  say  that  I  am  sorry  for  it ; 
at  the  same  time  I  add,  that  it 
was  rather  owing  to  inattention, 
or  more  properly  too  much  at 
tention  to  other  matters,  which 
caused  me  to  neglect  it.  The 
extracts  of  letters  from  this 
camp  which  so  frequently  ap 
pear  in  the  Pensa  papers,  are 
not  only  written  without  my 
knowledge,  but  without  my  ap 
probation;  as  I  have  always 
thought  they  must  have  a  dis 
agreeable71  tendency ;  but  there 
is  no  restraining  men's  tongues 
or  pens  when  charged  with  a 
little  vanity,  as  in  the  accounts 
given  of,  or  rather  by  the  rime- 
men. 

With  respect  to  what  you  have 
said  of  yourself,  and  situation,  to 
what  I  have  before  said  on  this 
subject,72  I  can  only  add,  that 
whilst  you  leave  the  door  open 
to  my  expectation  of  your  re 
turn,  I  shall  not  think  of  sup 
plying  your  place — if,  ultimate 
ly,  you  resolve  against  coming, 
I  should  be  glad  to  know  it,  as 
soon  as  you  have  determined 
upon  it73  The  congress  have 
resolv'd  well  in  respect  to  the 
pay  of  and  advance  to7*  the 
men;  but  if  they  cannot  get  the 
money  signers  to  dispatch  their 


71  S.  "unfavorable." 


73  S.  Transposed  "  I  can  only 
add  to  what  I  have  before  said 
on  this  subject."  The  word 
"  before"  omitted  by  me. 


73  S.  "upon  it"  omitted. 

74  S.  "  and  advance  to"  omitted. 


*  Printed  by  me  "  I  cannot  say,"  £c. 


29 


business,   it   is    of    very   little 

avail,  for  we  have   not  at  this 

time  money  enough  in  Camp  to 

answer    the    commissary's   and 

qur  master's  acc*s,  much  75more*      75  S.  "less." 

to  pay  and  advance  to  the  troops. 

Strange  conduct  this!78 

The  ace*  which  you  have  givn 
of  the  sentiments  of  the  people 
respecting  my  conduct  is  ex 
tremely  flattering.  Pray  God77 
I  may  continue  to  deserve  them 
7Sin  the  perplex'd  and  intricate 
situation  I  stand  in.  Our  inlist- 
ment  goes  on  slowlyf  by  the  re 
turns  last  Monday,  only  5,917 
men  are  engaged  for  the  insuing 
campaign ;  and  yet  we  are  told 
that  we  shall  get  the  number 
wanted  as  they  are  only  playing 
off,  to  see  what  advantages  are 
to  be  made,  and  whether  a 
bounty  cannot  be  extorted  either 
from  the  publick  at  large,  or  in 
dividuals,  in  case  of  a  draft; 
time  only  can  discover  this.  I 
doubt  the  measure  exceedingly. 
The  fortunate  capture  of  the 
storeship  has  supplied  us  with 
flints  and  many  other  articles 
we  stood  in  need  of — But  we 
still  have  our  wants.  79  We  are 
securing  our  approach  to  Litch- 
more's  Point,  unable  upon  any 
principle  whatever  to  account  for 
their  silence,  unless  it  be  to  lull 


76  S.  " Strange  conduct  this!' 
omitted. 


77  S.  "I  pray  God." 

78  S.  "in  my  perplexed  and  in 
tricate  situation." 


79  S.  Part  in  Italics  omitted. 


Printed  "less"  by  me. 


|  Printed  by  me  "slow." 


30 


us  into  a  fatal  security  to  favour 
some  attempt  they  may  have  in 
view  about  the  time  of  the  great 
change  they  expect  will  take 
place  the  last  of  this  month.  If 
this  be  the  drift,  they  deceive 
themselves,  for,  if  possible,  it  has 
increased  my  vigilance,  and  in 
duced  me  to  fortify  all  the  ave 
nues  to  our  camps,  to  guard 
against  any  approaches  upon 
the  ice. 

If  the  Virginians  are  wise, 
that  arch-traitor  to  the  rights  of 
humanity  jLord  Dunmore,  should 
be  instantly  crush' d,  if  it  takes 
the  force  of  the  whole  Colony  to 
do  it — otherwise,  like  a  snow 
ball,  in  rolling,  his  army  will 
get  size — some  through  fear — 
some  through  promises  —  and 
some  yVom*  inclination  joining 
his  standard — but  that  which 
renders  the  measure  indispensa 
bly  necessary,  is,  the  ncgros; — 
for  if  he  gets  formidable,  num 
bers  of  them  will  be  tempted  to 
join,  who  will  be  afraid  to  do  it 
without.  lam  exceeding  happy 
to  find  that  that  villain  Connolly 
is  seized;  I  hope  if  there  is  any 
thing  to  convict  him,  that  he  will 
meet  with  the  punishment  due  to 
his  demerit  and  treachery. 


*  Printed  by  me  "through."  This  passage  about  Lord  Dunmore  is 
repeated,  though  not  quite  in  so  strong  language,  in  a  letter  to  Richard 
Henry  Lee,  eleven  days  later,  "which  is  printed  by  Mr.  Sparks,  vol.  iii. 
p.  216. 


31 


We  impatiently  wait  for 
front  Arnold — would  to  God  we 
may  hear  he  is  in  Quebec — and 
that  all  Canada  is  in  our  pos 
session.  My  best  respects  to  Mrs. 
Reed. 

I  am,  dear  sir,  yr 

affect*  Hble  serv*, 
G°   WASHINGTON. 

P.  S.  The  small-pox  is  in 
every  part  of  Boston  —  the  sol 
diers  there  who  have  never  had 
it,  arc,  we  are  told,  under  in- 
noculation,  and  considered  as  a 
security  against  any  attempt  of 
ours — a  third  ship-load  of  people 
is  come  out  to  Point  Shirley.  If 
we  escape  the  small-pox  in  this 
camp,  and  the  country  round 
about,  it  will  be  miraculous. 
Every  precaution  that  can  be,  is 
taken,  to  guard  against  this  evil, 
both  by  the  General  Court  and 
myself. 

G.    W n. 


VI. 

CAMBRIDGE,  25th  Deer  1775. 
DEAR  SIR, 

80 Since  my  last,  your  favours     80  S.  The    passages   in    Italics 
of  the  1th  and  Ylth  are  come  to      omitted. 
hand,  as  also  the  Sth  ;  the  first 
last  night,  the  second  by  Wednes 
day' s  Post ;  for  the  several  pieces 
of  information  therein  contain' d} 
I  thank  you. 


32 


Nothing  new  has  happened  in 
this  quarter  since  my  last,  except 
the  setting  in  of  a  severe  spell  of 
cold  weather ,  and  a  considerable 
fall  of  snow;  which  together  have 
interrupted  our  work  on  Litch- 
more's  Point ;  which  otherwise, 
would  have  been  compleated  be 
fore  this.  At  first  we  only  in 
tended  a  bomb  battery  there,  but 
afterwards,  constructed  two  re 
doubts,  in  one  of  which  a  mortar 
will  be  placed  at  a  proper  sea 
son — a  line  of  communication 
extends  from  the  point  of  wood 
this  side  the  Causey,  leading  on 
to  Litchmore' s' Point,  quite  up  to 
the  redoubt.  From  Boston  and 
Bunker's  Hill  both,  we  have  re 
ceived  {without  injury,  except 
from  the  first  case  shotf)  an  ir 
regular  fire  from  cannon  and 
mortars  ever  since  the  17 'th,  but 
have  returned  none  except  upon 
the  ship  ;  ichich  we  soon  obliged 
to  move  off.  At  the  same  time 
that  I  thank  you  for  stopping 
visiters  in  search  of  preferment, 
it  will  give  me  pleasure  to  show 
civilities  to  others  of  your  re 
commendation.  Indeed  no  gen 
tleman  that  is  not  well  known, 
ought  to  come  here,  without  let 
ters  of  introduction  as  it  puts  me 
in  an  awkward  situation  with  re 
spect  to  my  conduct  towards 
them. 

I  do   not  very  icelP1   under-      S1  S.  "much." 


33 


stand  a  paragraph  in  your  letter 
which  seems  to  be  taken  from 
mine  to  Col  Hancock,  express 
ive  of  the  unwillingness  of  the 
Connecticut  troops  to  be  deemed 
Continental.  ^If  you  did  not 
misconceive  u'hat  Col  Hancock 
read — he  read  what  I  never 
wrote  ;  as  there  is  no  expression 
in  any  of  my  letters  that  I  can 
either  recollect,  or  find,  that  has 
a  tendency  that  way;  further 
than  their  unwillingness  to  have 
officers  of  other  governments 
mixed  in  their  corps,  in  which 
they  are  not  singular,  as  the 
same  partiality  runs  through 
the  whole.  I  have,  in  some  mea 
sure,  anticipated  the  desires  of 
the  Connecticut  Delegates,  by  a 
kind  of  representation  to  each  of 
the  New  England  Governments 
of  the  impracticability  (in  my 
eye)83  of  raising  our  compliment 
of  men  by  voluntary  inlistments, 
and  submitting  if*  to  their  con 
sideration,  whether  (if  the  pow 
ers  of  Government  were  suffi 
ciently  coercive)  each  Town 
should  not  be  called  upon  for 
a  proportionate  number  of  re 
cruits  ;  what  they  will  do  in  the 
matter  remains  to  be  known. 
The  militia  wch85  have  supplied 
the  places  of  the  Connecticut 
Regiments,  behave  much  better 
than  I  expected,88  under  our 
wants  of  wood,  barracks,  (for 


S.  Sentence  in  Italics  omitted, 


S.  "in  my  eye"  omitted. 


S.  "it"  omitted. 


85  S.  "who." 


S.  "titey  would." 


34 


they  are  not  yet  done,')87  blankets, 
&c.  :  with  these83  and  such  men89 
as  are  re-inlisted  I  shall  hope, 
if  they  will  be  vigilant  and 
spirited,  to  give  the  enemy  a 
warm  reception  if  they  think 
proper  to  come  out.  Our  want 
of  powder  is  inconceivable — a 
daily  waste,  and  no  supply,  ad 
ministers90  a  gloomy  prospect. 

I  fear  the  destination91  of  the 
vessels  from  your  port  is  so 
generally  known,  as  to  defeat 
the  end.  Two  men-of-war  (forty 
;/uns)92  it  is  said,  put  into  New 
York  the  other  day,  and  were 
instantfy93  ordered  out,  supposed 
to  be  for  Virginia. 

I  am  so  much  indebted  for 
the  civilities  shown  Mrs.  Wash 
ington  on  her  journey  hither, 
that  I  hardly  know  how  to  go 
about9*  to  acknowledge  them. 
Some  of  the  enclosed  (all  of 
which  I  beg  the  favour  of  you 
to  put  into  the  post  office)  are 
directed  to  that  end.  I  shall 
be  obliged  to  you  for  presenting 
my  thanks  to  the  commanding 
officers  of  the  two  battalions  of 
Phila,  for  the  honours95  done  her 
and  me,  as  also  to  any  others 
equally  entitled.  I  very  sin 
cerely  offer  you  the  compliments 
of  the  season,  and  wish  you  and 
Mrs.  Reed,  and  your  fireside,  the 
happy  return  of  a  great96  many 
of  them,  being,  dear  sir,  your 


87  S.  "  for  they  are  not  yet  done" 
omitted. 

88  S.  "men." 

89  S.  "men"  omitted. 


*  S.  "present." 

91  S.  "detention,"    obviously  a 

misprint. 


S.  "  forty  guns"  omitted. 
S.  "immediately." 


S.  "  to  go  about"  omitted. 


85  S.  "honour." 


S.  "great"  omitted. 


35 


most    obedt    and    affecte   H>le 
servt, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 


VII. 

CAMBRIDGE,  4th  Jany  1776. 
DEAR  SIR 

97 'Since  my  last  I  have  rec'd  97  S.  Passage  in  Italics  omitted. 
your  obliging  favours  of  the  19^/t 
and  IQdulto.  and  thank  you  for 
the  articles  of  intelligence  therein 
contained ,  as  /  also  do  for  the 
buttons  which  accompanied  the 
last  letter,  altho'  I  had  got  a  set 
better,  I  think,  made  at  Concord, 
lam  exceeding*  glad  to  find  that 
things  icear  a  better  face  in  Vir 
ginia  than  they  did  some  time 
ago;  but  I  do  not  think  that 
any  thing  less  than  ye  life  or 
liberty,  will  free  the  Colony  from 
the  effects  of  Lord  Dunmores 
resentments  and  villainies. 

We  are  at  length  favour' d 
with  a  sight  of  his  Majesty's 
most  gracious  speech,  breathing 
sentiments  of  tenderness  and 
compassion  for  his  deluded 
American  subjects;  the  eccho 
is  not  yet  come  to  hand,  but  we 
know  what  it  must  be,  and  as 
Lord  North  said,  and  we  ought 
to  have  believed,  (and  acted  ac 
cordingly,)  we  now  know  the 


*  Printed  by  me  "exceedingly." 


36 


ultimatum  of  British  justice. 
The  speech  I  send  you;  a  vo 
lume  of  them  was  sent  out  by 
the  Boston  gentry,  and  farcical 
enough,  we  gave  great  joy  to 
them,  (the  red  coats  I  mecr;i,)98 
without  knowing  or  intending 
it,  for  on  that  day,  the  day 
which  gave  being  to  the  new 
army,  (but  before  the  proclama 
tion  came  to  hand)  we  had 
hoisted  the  Union  Flag  in  com 
pliment  to  the  United  Colonies; 
but  behold!  it  was  received  in 
Boston  as  a  token  of  the  deep 
impression  the  Speech  had  made 
upon  us,  and  as  a  signal  of  sub 
mission,  so  we  learn"  by  a  per 
son  out  of  Boston  last  night. 
By  this  time,  I  presume,  they 
begin  to  think  it  strange  that 
we  have  not  made  a  formal  sur 
render  of  our  Lines.  Admiral 
Shuldam  is  arrived  at  Boston. 
The  55th  and  greatest100  part,  if 
not  all  the  17th  regiment  are 
also  got  in  there;101  the  rest  of 
the  5  regiments  from  Ireland 
were  intended  for  Hallifax  and 
Quebec ;  102thosefor  the  first,  ha  ve 
arrived  there,  the  others,  we  know 
not  where  they  are  got  to. 

It  is  easier  to  conceive  than 
to  describe  the  situation  of  my 
mind  for  some  time  past,  and 
my  feelings  under  our  present 
circumstances ;  Search  the  vast103 
volumes  of  history  through,  and 


98  S.  "the  red    coats   I  mean" 
omitted. 


99  S.  "hear;"  and  "heard"  by 
me. 


S.  "the  greater." 


101  S.  "arrived." 


102  S.  Sentence  in  Italics  omitted. 


103  S.  Omitted. 


37 


I  much  question  whether  a  case 
similar  to  ours  is  to  be  found ; 
to  wit,  to  maintain  a  post  against 
the  flower  of  the  British  troops 
for  six  months  together,  without 
— 104  and  at  the  end  of  them,™ 
to  have  one  army  disbanded,  and 
another  to  raise,108  within  the 
same  distance  of  a  reinforced 
enemy;  it  is  too  much  to  at 
tempt — what  may  be  the  final 
issue  of  the  last  manouvre,  time 
only  can  fe#.107  I  wish  this  month 
was  well  over  our  heads.  The 
same  desire  of  retiring  into  a 
chimney  corner,  seized  the  troops 
of  New  Hampshire,  Rhode  Isl 
and,  and  Massachusets,  (so  soon 
as  their  time  expired,)  as  had 
•icork'd™*  upon  those  of  Connec 
ticut,  notwithstanding  many  of 
them  made  a  tender  of  their  ser 
vices  to  continue  till  the  lines 
could  be  sufficiently  strengthen 
ed.  We  are  now  left  with  a  good 
deal  less  than  half-rais'd  regi 
ments,  and  about  five  thousand 
militia,  who  only  stand  ingaged 
to  the  middle  of  this  month, 
when,  according  to  custom,  they 
will  depart,  let  the  necessity  of 
their  stay  be  never™9  so  urgent ; 
thus  it  is,  that™  for  more  than 
two  months  past  I  have  scarcely 
immerged  from  one  difficulty, 
before  I  have1"  plunged  into  an 
other.  How  it  will  end,  God  in 
his  great  goodness  will  direct ;  I 


104  S.  "powder."      There  is  a 
blank  line  drawn  in  the  original. 

105  S.  "then." 

106  S.  "to  be  raised." 


107  S.  "can  unfold." 


S.  "wrought." 


109  S.  "  ever," 


and  by  me. 
S.  "it  is  that"  omitted. 


111  S.  "been." 


38 


am  thankful  for  his  protection  to 
this  time.  We  are  told  that  we 
shall  soon  get  the  army  corn- 
pleated,  but  I  have  been  told  so 
many  things  which  have  never 
come  to  pass,  that  I  distrust 
every  thing. 

I  fear  your  fleet  has  been  so 
long  in  fitting,  and  the  destina 
tion  of  it  so  well  known,  that 
the  end  will  be  defeated  if  the 
vessels  escape.  How  is  the  ar 
rival  of  French  troops  in  the 
West  Indies,  and  the  hostile  ap 
pearance  there,  to  be  reconciled 
with  that  part  of  the  King's 
speech  wherein  he  assures  Par 
liament  "that  as  well  from  the 
assurances  I  have  received  as 
from  the  general  appearance  of 
affairs  in  Europe,  I  see  no  pro 
bability  that  the  measures  which 
you  may  adopt  will  be  interrupt 
ed  by  disputes  with  any  foreign 
power." 

I  hope  the  Congress  will  not 
think  of  adjourning  at  so  im 
portant  and  critical  a  juncture 
as  this.  I  wish  they  would  keep 
a  watchful  eye  to  New  York. 
From  Captn  Sears'  acc^lts(now 
here)  much  is  to  be  apprehended 
from  that  quarter.  113J.  fleet  is 
now  fitting  out  at  Boston,  con 
sisting  of  five  transports  and  two 
bomb-vessels,  under  convoy  of  the 
Scarborough  and  Fowcy  men-of- 
war.  Three  hundred,  some  say, 


113  S.  "from  the  account  of  Cap 
tain  Sears." 

113  S.  The  rest  of  the  letter  in 
Italics  omitted. 


39 


others  more,  troops  are  on  board, 
willi  flat-bottomed  boats.  It  is 
ivhisper'dj  as  if  designedly,  thai 
the)/  arc  intended  for  New-Port, 
but  it  is  generally  believ'd  that 
they  arc  bound  either  to  Long 
Island  or  Virginia ;  the  other 
transports  are  taking  in  water 
and  a  good  deal  of  bisquet  is 
baking,  some  say  for  the  ship 
ping  to  lay  in  Nantaskct  Road, 
to  be  out  of  the  way  of  ice,  whilst 
others  think  a  more  important 
move  is  in  agitation;  all,  how 
ever,  is  conjecture.  I  heartily 
wish  you,  Mrs.  Reed  and  family , 
the  compVs  of  the  season,  in  wliich 
the  ladies  here  and  family  join  ; 
be  assured  that  I  am,  with  sin 
cere  affect*1  and  regard, 


VIII. 

CAMBRIDGE,  14th  Jany  1770. 
DEAR  SIR 

The  bearer  presents  an  oppor 
tunity  to  me  of  acknowledging 
the  receipt  of  your  favour  of 
the  30th  ult.  (which  never  came 
to  my  hands  till  last  night,)  and 
if  I  have  not  done  it  before,  of 
your  other114  of  the  23d  pre-  114  S.  "letter." 
ceding. 

The  hints  you  have  commu 
nicated  from  time  to  time,  not 
only  deserve,  but  do  most  sin 
cerely  and  cordially  meet  with 


40 


my  thanks.  You  cannot  render 
a  more  acceptable  service,  nor  in 
my  estimation  give115  a  more 
convincing  proof  of  your  friend 
ship,  than  by  a  free,  open,  and 
undisguised  account  of  every 
matter  relative  to  myself,  or 
conduct.  I  can  bear  to  hear  of 
imputed  or  real  errors ;  the  man 
who  wishes  to  stand  well  in  the 
opinion  of  others  must  do  this, 
because  he  is  thereby  enabled  to 
correct  his  faults,  or  remove116  11G  S.  "the" 
prejudices  which  are  imbibed 
against  him;  for  this  reason,  I 
shall  thank  you  for  giving  me 
the  opinions  of  the  world  upon 
such  points  as  you  know  me  to 
be  interested  in;  for  as  I  have 
but  one  capitol  object  in  view, 
I  could  wish  to  make  my  con 
duct  coincide  with  the  wishes  of 
mankind  as  far  as  I  can  consist 
ently.  I  mean  without  depart 
ing  from  that  great  line  of  duty, 
which,  though  hid  under  a  cloud 
for  some  time  from  a  peculiarity 
of  circumstances,  may  neverthe 
less  bear  a  scrutiny.  My  con 
stant  attention  to  the  great  and 
perplexing  objects  which  con 
tinually  rise  to  my  view,  absorbs 
all  lesser  considerations,  and  in 
deed,  scarcely  allows  me  time117  117  S.  "time"  omitted, 
to  reflect  that  there  is  such  a 
body  in  existence  as  the  General 
Court  of  this  Colony,  but  when 
I  am  reminded  of  it  by  a  Com- 


41 


niittee;  nor  can  I  upon  recol 
lection,  discover  in  what  in 
stances,  (I  wish  they  would  be 
more  explicit,)  I  have  been  in 
attentive  to,  or  slighted  them. 
They  could  not  surely  conceive 
that  there  was  a  propriety  in 
unbosoming  the  secrets  of  an 
army  to  them ;  that  it  was  ne 
cessary  to  ask  their  opinion  of 
throwing  up  an  intrenchment,118 
forming  a  battalion,  &c.  &c.  :  it 
must  therefore  be  what  I  before 
hinted  to  you,  and  how  to  re 
medy  it  I  hardly  know,  as  I  am 
acquainted  with  few  of  the  mem 
bers,  never  go  out  of  my  own 
Lines,  or119  see  any  of  them  in 
them. 

I  am  exceeding120  sorry  to  hear  12°  S.  "  exceedingly." 
that  your  little  fleet  has  been 
shut  in  by  the  frost.  I  hope  it 
has  sailed  e'er  this,  and  given 
you  some  proof  of  the  utility  of 
it,  and  enabl'd  the  Congress  to 
bestow  a  little  more  attention  to 
the  affairs  of  this  army,  which 
suffers  exceedingly  by  their  over 
much  business, — or  too  little  at 
tention  to  it. — We  are  now  with 
out  any  money  in  our  treasury, 
powder  in  our  magazines,121  arms  m  S.  "or." 
in  our  stores.  We  are  without 
a  brigadier  (the  want  of  which™  132  S.  "whom." 
has  been  twenty  times  urged) 
engineers,  expresses,  (though  a 
committee  has  been  appointed 
these  two  months  to  establish 


42 


them,)  and  by  and  by,  when  we 
shall  be  called  upon  to  take  the 
field,  shall  not  have  a  tent  to 
lay  in, — apropos,  what  is  doing 
with  mine? 

These  are  evils  but  small  in 
comparison  of  those  which  dis 
turb  my  present  repose;  our  in- 
listments  are  at  a  stand;  the 
fears  I  ever  entertained  are  real- 
iz'd;  that  is,  the  discontented 
officers123  (for  I  do  not  know  how 
else  to  ace*  for  it)  have  thrown 
such  difficulties  or  stumbling- 
blocks  in  the  way  of  recruiting, 
that  I  no  longer  entertain  a  hope 
of  compleating  the  army  by  vo 
luntary  inlistments,  and  I  see 
no  move  or  likelihood  of  one^ 
to  do  it  by  other  means.  In  the 
two  last  weeks  we  have  inlisted 
l>ut  abt  1000  men,  whereas,  I 
was  confidently  bid*3*  to  believe, 
by  all  the  officers  I  conversed 
with,  that  we  should  by  this 
time  have  had  the  regiments 
nearly  compleated.  Our  total 
number  upon  paper  amounts  to 
abt  10,500 ;  but  as  a  large  por 
tion  of  these  are  re  turn'  d  120not 
join'd,  I  never  expect  to  receive 
them ;  as  an  ineffectual  order 
has  once  issued  to  call  them  in, 
another  is  now  gone  forth,  pe 
remptorily  requiring  all  officers, 
under  pain  of  being  cashier' d, 
and  recruits  as127  being  treated 
as  deserters,  to  join  their  re- 


123  S.  "discontented  officers' 
Italicized  by  Mr.  Sparks. 


124  S.  " of  one"  omitted. 


S.  "led,"  and  so  by  me. 


S.  "not  joined"  Italicized. 


127  S.  "of." 


43 


spective  regiments  by  the  first 
day  of  next  month,  that  I  may 
know  my  real  strength ;  but  if 
my  fears  are  not  imaginary,  I 
shall  have  a  dreadful  ace*  of  the 
advanced  month's  pay.  In  con 
sequence  of  the  assurances  given 
and  my  expectation  of  having  at 
least  men  enough  Inlisted  to 
defend  our  lines,  to  which  may 
be  added  my  unwillingness  o/123 
burthening  the  cause  with  unne 
cessary  expencc,  no  relief  of 
militia  has  been  order'd  in  to 
supply  the  places  of  those  who 
are  releas'd  from  their  ingage- 
ment  to-morrow,  and  o«129whom 
(tho'  many  have  promised  to 
continue  out  the  month)  there 
is  no  security  of  their  stay. 

Thus  am  I  situated  with  re 
spect  to  men, — with  regard  to 
arms,  I  am  yet  worse  of: — be 
fore  the  dissolution  of  the  old 
army,  I  issued  an  order  directing 
three  judicious  men  of  each  bri 
gade  to  attend,  review,  and  ap 
praise  the  good  arms  of  every 
regiment — and  finding  a  very 
great  unwillingness  in  the  men 
to  part  with  their  arms,  at  the 
same  time  not  having  it  in  my 
power  to  pay  them  for  the  months 
of  Novr  and  Decr,  I  threat' ned 
severely,  that  every  soldier  who 
carried™  away  his  firelock  with 
out  leave,  should  never  receive 
pay  for  those  months; — yet  so 


12S  S.  "to  burthen." 


129  S.  "asto.J 


S.  "should  carry." 


44 


many  have  been  carried  of,  partly 
by  stealth,  but  chiefly  as  con 
demned,  that  we  have  not  at 
this  time  100  guns  in  the  stores, 
of  all  that  have  been  taken  in 
the  prize-ship  and  from  the  sol 
diery,  notwithstanding  our  regi 
ments  are  not  half  compleat : — 
at  the  same  time  I  am  told,  and 
believe  it,  that  to  restrain  the 
Inlistment  to  men  with  arms, 
you  will  get  but  few  of  the 
former,  and  still  fewer  of  the 
latter  which  would  be  good  for 
anything.  How  to  get  furnished, 
I  know  not — I  have  applied  to 
this  and  the  neighbouring  colo 
nies,  but  with  what  success,  time 
only  can  tell.  The  reflection 
upon  my  situation  and  that  of 
this  army,  produces  many  an 
uneasy™1  hour,  when  all  around 
me  are  wrapped  in  sleep.  Few 
people  know  the  predicament  we 
are  in,  on  a  thousand  accounts — 
fewer  still  will  believe,  if  any 
disaster  happens  to  these  Lines, 
from  what  causes132  it  flows.  I 
have  often  thought  how  much 
happier  I  should  have  been,  if, 
instead  of  accepting  of133  a  com 
mand  under  such  circumstances, 
I  had  taken  my  musket  upon 
my  shoulder,  and  entered  the 
ranks; — or  if  I  could  have  jus 
tified  the  measure  to  posterity 
and  my  own  conscience,  had 
retired  to  the  back  country,  and 


S.  "unhappy." 


'  cause,"  and  so  by  me. 


omitted. 


45 


lived  in  a  wigwam.  If  I  shall 
be  able  to  rise  superior  to  these, 
and  many  other  difficulties  which 
might  be  innumerated,  I  shall 
most  religiously  believe  that  the 
finger  of  Providence  is  in  it,  to 
blind  the  eyes  of  our  enemys ; — • 
for  surely,  if  we  get  well  throu 
this  month,  it  must  be  for  want 
of  their  knowing  the  disadvan 
tages  we  labour  under. 

Could  I  have  foreseen  the  dif 
ficulties  which  have  come  upon 
us — could  I  have  known  that 
such  a  backwardness  would  have 
been  discovered  m134  the  old  134  S.  "  among, 
soldiers  to  the  service,  all  the 
generals  upon  earth  should  not 
have  convinced  me  of  the  pro 
priety  of  delaying  an  attack  upon 
Boston  till  this  time.  When  it 
can  now  be  attempted,  I  will 
not  undertake  to  say, — but  this 
much,  I  will  answer  for,  that  no 
opportunity  can  present  itself 
earlier  than  my  wishes — but  as 
this  letter  discloses  some  Inte 
resting  truths,  I  shall  be  some 
what  uneasy  till  I  hear  it  gets 
to  your  hand,  although  the  con 
veyance  is  thought  safe. 

We  made  a  successful  attempt, 
a  few  nights  ago,  upon  the  houses 
near  Bunker's  Hill;  a  party  un 
der  Majr  Knowlton  crossed  upon 
the  mill-damn  (the  night  being 
dark),  and  set  fire  to  and  burnt 
down  Eight  out  of  14  which 


46 


were  standing,  and  which  we 
found  they  were  daily  pulling 
down  for  fuel — five  soldiers  and 
the  wife  of  one  of  them  inhabit 
ing  one  of  the  houses  were 
brought  of  prisoners;  another 
soldier  was  killed ;  none  of  ours 
hurt, 

Having  undoubted  informa 
tion  of  the  Imbarkation  of 
troops  (somewhere  from  three 
to  500)  at  Boston,  and  being 
convinced  that  they  were  de 
signed  either  for135  New  York  135  S.  "the." 
Government  (from  whence  we 
have  some  very  disagreeable 
accts  of  the  conduct  of  the  To 
ries)  or  Virginia,  I  dispatched 
Gen1  Lee  a  few  days  ago  in 
order  to  secure  the  city  of  New 
York  from  falling  into  their 
hands,  as  the  consequences  of 
such  a  blow  might  prove  fatal 
to  our  interests.  He  is  also  to 
inquire  a  little  into  the  conduct 
of  the  Long  Islanders,  and  such 
others  as  have  by  their  conduct 
and  declarations  proved  them 
selves  Inimical  to  the  common 
cause.  To  effect  these  purposes, 
he  is  to  raise  Volunteers  in  Con 
necticut,  and  call  upon  the  troops 
of  New  Jersey,  if  not  contrary 
to  any  order  of  Congress. 

By  a  ship  just  arrived  at 
Portsmouth,  (New  Hampshire) 
we  have  London  prints  to  the 
2d  of  Novr,  containing  the  ad- 


47 


dresses    of    Parliament,    which 
contain™  little  more  than  a  re 
petition  of  the  speech,  with  as 
surances  of  standing  by  his  Ma 
jesty  with  lives    and  fortunes. 
The  Captns  (for  there  were  three 
or  four  of  them  passengers)  say 
that  we  have  nothing  to  expect 
but  the  most  vigorous  exertions 
of  administration,  who  have  a 
dead  majority  upon  all  questions, 
although  the  Duke  of  Grafton 
and  General  Con  way  have  joined 
the  minority,  as  also  the  Bishop 
of  Peterborough.       These  cap 
tains  affirm  confidently  that  the 
5  regiments  from  Ireland  cannot 
any  of  them   have    arrived   at 
Hallifax,  inasmuch  as  that™7  by 
a  violent  storm  on  the  19th  of 
October,    the    transports    were 
forced  (in   a   very  distressful133 
condition)  into    Milford  Haven 
(  TFafcs),139  and  were  not  in  a  con 
dition  to  put  to  sea  when  they 
left  London,  and  that  the  wea 
ther  has  been  such  since,  as  to 
prevent  heavy-loaded  ships  from 
making  a  passage  by  this  time. 
One  or  two  transports,  they  add, 
were    thought   to  be  lost;    but 
these  arrived  some  considerable 
time  ago  at  Boston,  with  3  com 
panies  of  the  17th  regiment. 

Mr.  Sayre  has  been  committed 
to  the  Tower,  upon  the  informa 
tion  of  a  certain  Lieutnt  or  Ad 
jutant  llichardson  (formerly  of 


136 


137  S.  "that"  omitted. 


133  S.  "distressed." 


139  S.  "Wales"  omitted. 


48 


yr  city)  for  treasonable  practices 
— an  intention  of  seizeing  his 
Majesty,  and  possessing  himself 
of  the  Tower,  it  is  said  in  the 
crisis, — but  is  admitted  to  bail 
himself  in  £500,  and  two  sure- 
tys  in  £250  each.  What  are 
the  conjectures  of  the  wise  ones 
with  you,  o/140  the  French  14°  S.  "as  to." 
armament  in  the  West  Indies  ? 
But  previous  to  this,  is  there 
any  certainty  of  such  an  arma 
ment?  The  captains,  who  are 
sensible  men,  heard  nothing  of 
this  when  they  left  England — 
nor  does  there  appear  any  ap 
prehensions  on  this  score  in  any 
of  the  measures  or  speeches  of 
administration.  I  should  think 
the  Congress  will  not — ought 
not  to  adjourn  at  this  important 
crisis;  but  it  is  highly  necessary, 
when  I  am  at  the  end  of  a141  second  141  S.  "the." 
sheet  of  paper,  that  I  should  ad 
journ  my  ace*  of  matters  to  an 
other  letter.  I  shall,  therefore, 
in  Mrs.  Washington's  name, 
thank  you  for  y1'  good  wishes 

towards  her,  and  with  heru2  com-      14a  S.  "her"  omitted, 
plinits  added  to    mine   to  Mrs. 
Reed,  &c.,  conclude,  dr  sir,  yr 
sincere  and  affect6  serv*, 


49 


IX. 

CAMBRIDGE,  23d  Jan.  1776. 
DEAR  SIR 

Real  necessity  compells  me  to 
ask  you  whether  I  may  enter 
tain  any  hopes  of  your  returning 
to  my  family  ?  If  you  can  make 
it  convenient,  and  will  hint  the 
matter  to  Col.  Harrison,  I  dare 
venture  to  say  that  Congress 
will  make  it  agreeable  to  you  in 
every  shape  they  can.  My  busi 
ness  increases  very  fast,  and  my 

distresses  for  want  of  you  along™3  143  S.  "increase  with  tY." 
with  it.  Mr.  Harrison  is  the 
only  gentleman  of  my  family 
that  can  afford  me  the  least  as 
sistance  in  writing.  He  and  Mr. 
Moylan,  whose  time  must  now 
be  solely  imployed  in  his  de 
partment  of  commissary,  have 
heretofore  afforded  me  their  aid, 
and  I  have  hinted  to  them,  in 
consequence  of  what  you  signi 
fied  in  some  former  letter,  that 
each  (as  they  have  really  had  a 
great  deal  of  trouble),  should 
receive  one-third  of  your  pay, 
reserving  the  other  third,  con 
trary  to  your  desire,  for  your 
self: — my  distress  and  embar 
rassments  are  in  a  way  of  being 
very  considerably  increased  by 
an  occurrence  in  Virginia,  which 
will,  I  fear,  compel  Mr.  Harri 
son  to  leave  me,  or  suffer  con 
siderably  by  his  stay.  He  has 
4 


50 


wrote,"*  however,  by  the  last 
post,  to  see1*5  if  his  return  cannot 
be  dispensed  with.  If  he  should 
go,  I  shall  really  be  distressed 
beyond  measure,  as  I  know  no 
persons  able  to  supply  your 
places  (in  this  part  of  the  world) 
with  whom  I  would  chuse  to 
live  in  unbounded  confidence. 
un//i  short,  for  want  of  an  ac 
quaintance  with  the  people  hith 
er  ward,  I  Itnow  of  none  which 
appear  to  me  qualified  for  the 
office  of  Secretary. 

The  business,  as  I  hinted  to 
you  before,  is  considerably  in 
creased  by  being  more  compre 
hensive,  and  at  this  time  (147from 
the  great  changes  which  have 
and  are  happening  every  day) 
perplexed;  so  that  you  would 
want  a  good  writer  and  a  me 
thodical  man,  as  an  assistant,  or 
copying  clerk; — such  an  one  I 
have  no  doubt  will  be  allowed, 
and  the  choice  I  leave  to  your 
self,  as  he  should  be  a  person 
in  whose  integrety  you  can  con 
fide,  and  on  whose  capacity,  care, 
and  method,  you  can  rely.  At 
present,  my  time  is  so  much 
taken  up  at  my  desk,  that  I  am 
obliged  to  neglect  many  other 
essential  parts  of  my  duty : — it 
is  absolutely  necessary,  there 
fore,  for  me™3  to  have  persons 
that  can  think  for  me,  as  well 
as  execute  orders.  u9This  it  is 


144  S.  "written." 

145  S.  "ascertain.' 


S.  Sentence  in  Italics  omitted 


147  S.  Transposed. 


148  S.  "  for  me"  omitted. 


149  S.  Passage  in  Italics  omitted. 


51 


it  pains  me  when  I  thinJc  of 
r.  White's  expectation  of  com- 
7  into  my  family  if  an  open- 
/  happens.  I  can  derive  no 
rthty  assistance  from  such  a 
-in,  and  my  friend  Baylor  is 
ich  such  another  j  although  as 
9fZ  and  as  obliging  a  person 
any  in  the  world.  As  it  may 
necessary  that  the  pay  of  the 
der  Secretary  should  be  fixed, 
at  you  may,  if  you  incline  to 
;urn  and  should  engage  one, 
iow  what  to  promise  him,  I 
ve  wrote™  to  Col.  Harrison 
d  Mr.  Lynch  on  this  subject. 
The  interruption  of  the  post 
s  prevented  the  receipt  of  any 
ters  from  the  southward  since 
's  day  iveek,  so  that  we  have 
t  little,  knowledge  of  what  is 
ssing  in  that  quarter.  The 
fortunate  repulse  of  our  troops 
Quebec — the  death  of  the  brave 
,d  much  to  be  lamented  Gen^ 
ontgomerie,  and  wounding  of 
rt.  Arnold,  ivill,  I  fear ,  give  a 
ry  unfavourable  turn  to  our 
rairs  in  that  quarter,  as  I  have 

opinion  at  all  of  W- — r's  en- 
"prising  gen  ius. 
Immediately  upon  the  receipt 

the  unfortunate  intelligence, 
id  General  Schuyler's  intima- 
>n  of  his  having  no  other  dc- 
ndance  than  upon  me  for  men, 
addressed  Massachusetts,  Con- 
cticut,  and  N.  Hampshire,  (in 


150  S.  "written." 

151  S.  The  rest  of  the  letter  in 
Italics  omitted. 


52 


behalf  of  the  Continent)  for  a 
regiment  each,  to  be  marched 
forewith  into  Canada,  and 
there  continued,  if  need  be,  till 
the  \st  of  Jan' y,  upon  the  same 
establishment  of  those  raising  for 
these  Lines.  It  was  impossible 
to  spare  a  man  from  hence,  as 
we  want  Eight  or  Nine  thousand 
of  our  Establishment,  and  are 
obliged  to  depend  upon  militia 
for  the  defence  of  our  works: 
equally  improper  did  it  appear 
to  me  to  wait  (situated  as  our 
affairs  were)  for  a  requisition 
from  Congress,  after  several 
days'  debate,  perhaps,  when  in 
the  meanwhile  all  might  be  lost: 
— the  urgency  of  the  case,  there 
fore,  must  appologize  to  Congress 
for  my  adoption  of  this  measure. 
Governor  Trumbull,  indeed,  an 
ticipated  my  request,  for  he  and 
his  Council  of  Safety  had  voted 
a  regiment  before  my  request 
had  reached  him.  The  Gen1 
Court  here  have  also  voted  an 
other,  and  I  have  no  doubt  of 
New  Hampshire's  doing  the  like, 
and  that  the  whole  will  soon  be 
on  their  march.  I  have  this  in 
stant  received  a  letter  from  New 
Hampshire,  in  answer  to  mine, 
informing  me  that  they  have  fully 
complied  with  my  request  of  a 
regiment,  appointed  the  field- 
officers,  and  will  have  the  whole 
in  motion  as  soon  as  possible. 


53 


Colonel  Warner ,  and  others,  ice 
are  told,  are  already  on  their 
march,  so  that  it  is  to  be  hoped, 
if  these  bodies  have  but  a  good 
head,  our  affairs  may  still  be 
retrieved  in  Canada  before  the 
King's  troops  can  get  reinforced. 
They  are  pulling  down  the 
houses  in  Boston  as  fast  as  pos 
sible,  and  we  have  lately  accts 
from  thence  which  it  is  said  may 
be  relied  on,  that  General  Clin 
ton  is  actually  sailed  from  thence 
with  a  detachment  (no  accounts 
making  it  more  than  500)  for 
the  Southward,  some  say  Vir 
ginia,  others  New  York,  but  all 
is  conjecture.  Whether  this  is 
the  fleet  that  has  been  making 
up  for  some  time  at  Nantasket, 
or  another,  I  cannot  with  cer 
tainty  say.  In  my  last,  I  in 
formed  you,  I  think  of  the  expe 
dition  I  had  sent  General  Lee 
on  to  New  York.  Should  Clin 
ton  steer  his  course  thither,  I 
hope  he  will  meet  with  a  for 
midable  and  proper  reception. 
I  shall  conclude  with  informing 
you,  that  we  should  have  had  a 
formidable  work  on  Litchmore's 
Point  long  ago,  if  it  had  not 
been  for  the  frost,  and  that  if 
Congress  mean  that  we  should 
do  anything  this  winter,  no  time 
must  be  lost  in  forwarding  pow 
der.  I  have  ordered  in  militia 
to  take  advantage  of  circum- 


54 


stances,  but  I  see  no  appearance 
as  yet  of  a  bridge.  I  am  with 
the  greatest  truth  and  sincerity, 

Dear  Sir, 
Yours  affectionately, 

0°  WASHINGTON. 


153  S.  "date 
omitted. 


not   recollected" 


X. 

CAMBUIDGE,  31st  of  Jan. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, 

In  my  last  (153c7afc  not  recol 
lected)  by  Mr.  John  Adams,  I 
communicated  my  distresses  to 
you,  on  account  of  my  want  of 

your  assistance.     Since  this,*53 1      153  S.  "  I  have  been  since. " 
have  been  under  some  concern 
at  doing  of  it,15*  lest  it  should  pre 
cipitate  your  return  before  you 
were  ripe155  for  it,  or  bring  on  a 


1M  S.  "having  done  it." 

155  S.  uare  ready." 


final  resignation,  which  I  am 
unwilling  to  think  of,  if  your 
return  can  be  made  convenient 
and  agreeable.  True  it  is,  that 
from  a  variety  of  causes,  my 
business  has  been,  and  now  is, 
multiplied  and  perplexed,  whilst 
the  means  of  execution  ts15(i 
greatly  contracted.  This  may 
be  a  cause  for  my  wishing  you 
here,  but  no  inducement  to  your 
coming,  if  you  hesitated  before. 
I  have  now  to  thank  you  for 
your  favors  157of  the  15th,  I6th, 
and  20th  inst.,  and  for  the  seve 
ral  articles  of  intelligence  which 
they  convey.  The  account  given 


157  S.  Omitted, 


55 


of  your  Navy,  at  the  same  time 
that  it  is  exceedingly  unfavour 
able  to  our  wishes,  is  a  little 
provoking  to  me,  inasmuch  as  it 
has  deprived  us  of  a153  necessary 
article  which  otherwise  would 
have  been  sent  hither,  but  which 
a  kind  of  fatality,  I  fear,  will 
forever  deprive  us  of.  In  the 
instance  of  New  York,  we  are 
not  to  receive  a  particle  of  what 
you  expected  would  be  sent  from 
thence — the  time  and  season  is 
passing  away,  as  I  believe  the 
troops  in  Boston  also*  will,  be 
fore  the  season  for  taking  the 
field  arrives.  I  dare  say,  they 
are  preparing  for  it  now,  as  we 
have  undoubted  intelligence  of 
Clinton's  leaving  Boston  with  a 
number  of  troops  159(5y  different 
accounts,  from  four  or  five  hun 
dred  to  10  companies  of  grena 
diers,  and  nine  of  light  infantry] 
believed  to  be  designed  for  Long 
Island  or  New  York,  in  conse 
quence  of  assurances  from  Go 
vernor  Tryon  of  a  powerful  aid 
from  the  Tories  there. 

I  hope  my  countrymen  (of 
Virginia)  will  rise  superior  to 
any  losses  the  whole  Navy  of 
Great  Britain  can  bring  on  them, 
and  that  the  destruction  of  Nor 
folk,  and  threatened™  devasta 
tion  of  other  places,  will  have 


S.  " necessary  articles." 


159  S.  Sentence  in  Italics  omitted. 


S.  "attempted." 


*  "  Also"  omitted  by  me. 


56 


no  other  effect  than  to  unite  the 
whole  country  in  one  indissolu 
ble  bandm  against  a  Nation 
which  seems  to  be  lost  to  every 
sense  of  virtue,  and  those  feelings 
which  distinguish  a  civilized  peo 
ple  from  the  most  barbarous  sa 
vages.*  A  few  more  of  such 
naming  arguments  as  were  ex 
hibited  at  Falmouth  and  Nor 
folk,  added  to  the  sound  doctrine 
and  unanswerable  reasoning  con 
tained  in  the  pamphlet  "Com 
mon  Sense,"  will  not  leave 
numbers  at  a  loss  to  decide 
upon  the  propriety  of  a  sepera- 
tion. 

By  a  letter  of  the  21st  inst. 
from163  Wooster,  I  find  that  Ar 
nold  was  continuing  the  blockade 
of  Quebec  the  19th,  which  under 
the  heaviness  of  our  loss  there, 
is  a  most  favourable  circum 
stance,  and  exhibits  a  fresh 
proof  of  Arnold's  ability  and 
perseverance  in  the  midst  of 
difficulties ;  the  reinforcement 
ordered  to  him,  will,  I  hope, 
compleat  the  entire  conquest  of 
Canada  this  winter ;  and  I63but 
for  the  loss  of  the  gallant  chief 
and  his  brave  followers,  I  should 
think  the  rebuff  rather  favour- 


161  S.  "bond;"  and  the  sentence 
in  Italics  omitted. 


163  S.  "General  Wooster." 


S.  "except  for." 


*  This  sentence  is  stronger  than  any  other  I  find  in  the  public  or  private 
letters.  It  seems  to  me  of  value,  as  showing  what  the  calm,  deliberate, 
loyal  Washington,  the  reluctant  rebel  against  Imperial  authority,  at  so  early 
a  date  as  January,  1776,  thought  and  wrote  of  the  Mother  country  and  its 
ministers. 


57 


able  than  otherwise;  for  had  the 
country  been  subdued  by  such 
a  handful  of  men,  'tis  more  than 
probable  that  it  would  have  been 
left  to  the  defence  of  a  few,  and 
rescued  from  us  in  the  Spring : — 
our  eyes  will  now  not  only  be 
open  to  the  importance  of  hold 
ing  it,  but  the  numbers  which 
are  requisite  to  that  end.  l64/r& 
return  for  your  two  beef  and 
poultry  vessels  from  New  York, 
I  can  acquaint  you  that  our 
Commodore  Manley  has  just 
taken  two  ships  from  White 
Haven  to  Boston,  with  coal  and 
potatoes,  and  sent  them  into 
Plymouth,  and  fought  a  tender 
(close  by  the  light-house  where 
the  vessels  were  taken),  long 
enough  to  give  his  prizes  time  to 
get  off,  in  short,  till  she  thought 
it  best  to  quit  the  combat,  and 
he  to  move  of  from  the  men-of- 
war,  which  were  spectators  of 
this  scene.  In  my  last,  I  think 
I  informed  you  of  my  sending 
General  Lee  to  New  York,  with 
intention  to  secure  the  Tories 
of165  Long  Island,  &c.,  and  to 
prevent,1™  if  possible,  the  king's 
troops  from  making  a  lodgment 
there ;  but  I  fear  the  Congress 
will  be  duped  by  the  represent 
ations  from  that  Government,  or 
yield  to  them  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  become  marplots  to  the 
expedition; — the  city  seems  to 


154  S.  Sentences  in  Italics  omit 
ted. 


S.  "on. 
" 


preventing. 


58 


be  entirely  under  the  govern 
ment  of  Try  on,  and  the  Captain 
of  the  man-of-war. 

Mrs.  Washington  desires  1677     1G7  S.  "me  to  thank." 
ic ill  thank  you  for  the  picture 
sent  her.    Mr.  Campbell,  whom 
I  never  saw  to  my  knowledge, 
has    made    a    very    formidable 
figure    of    the    Commander-in- 
chief,    giving   him    a   sufficient 
portion  of  terror  in  his  counte 
nance.     Mrs.   Washington  also 
desires  her  compliments  to  Mrs. 
Reed,  &c.,  as  I  do,  and  with  the 
gincerest  regard  and  affection,  I 
remain,  dear  sir, 
Your  most  obedient  servant, 
G°  WASHINGTON. 


XL 

CAMBRIDGE,  February  1,  177G. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, 

I  had  wrote***  the  letter  here-  l63  S.  "  written.' 
with  enclosed,  before  your  favour 
of  the  21st  came  to  hand.  The 
account  given  of  the  behaviour 
of  the  men  under  General  Mont- 
gonierie  is  exactly  consonant  to 
the  opinion  I  have*  form'd  of 
these  people,  and  such  as  they 
will  exhibit  abundant  proofs  of 
in  similar  cases  whenever  called 
upon.  Place  them  behind  a 
parapet, — a  breast-work, — stone 


*  Printed  by  me  "had." 


59 


wall, — or  any  thing  that  will 
afford  them  shelter,  and  from 
their  knowledge  of  a  fire-lock, 
they  will  give  a  good  account  of 
their™  enemy ',  but  I  am  as  well 
convinced  as  if  I  had  seen  it, 
that  they  will  not  march  boldly 
up  to  a  work, — or  stand  exposed 
in  a  plain, — and  yet,  if  we  are 
furnished  with  the  means,  and 
the  weather  will  afford  us  a  pas 
sage  and  we  can  get  in  men,  (for 
these  three  things  are  necessary) 
something  must  be  attempted. 
The  men  must  be  brought  to 
face  danger ;  they  cannot  allways 
have  an  Intrenchment  or  a  stone 
wall  as  a  safeguard  or  shield, 
and  it  is  of  essential  importance 
that  the  troops  in  Boston  should 
be  destroyed  if  possible,  before 
they  can  be  reinforced  or  re 
move. — This  is  clearly  my  opin 
ion, — whether  circumstances  will 
admit  of  the  tryal,  and  if  tryed, 
what  will  be  the  event,m  the  all- 
wise  Disposer  of  them171  alone 
can  tell. 

172  The  evils  arising  from  short, 
or  even  any  limited  Inlistment  of 
the  troops,  are  greater,  and  more 
extensively  hurtful  than  any  per 
son  (not  an  eye-witness  to  them,} 
can  form  any  idea  of.  It  takes 
you  two  or  three  months  to  bring 
new  men  in  any  tolerable  degree 
acquainted  icith  their  duty;  it 
takes  a  longer  time  to  bring  a 


the." 


170  S.  "result." 

171  S.  "events." 

173  S.  The  rest  of  this  letter  in 
Italics  omitted. 


60 


people  of  the  temper  and  genius 
of  these  into  such  a  subordinate 
way  of  thinking  as  is  necessary 
for  a  soldier; — before  this  is  ac 
complished,  the  time  approaches 
for  their  dismissal,  and  you  are 
beginning  to  make  interest  with 
them  for  their  continuance  for  an 
other  limitted period  ;  in  the  doing 
of  which  you  are  oblig'd  to  relax 
in  your  discipline,  in  order  as  it 
were  to  curry  favour  with  them, 
by  which  means  the  latter  part 
of  your  time  is  employ' d  in  un 
doing  what  the  first  was  accom 
plishing,  and  instead  of  having 
men  always  ready  to  take  ad 
vantage   of  circumstances,  you 
must  govern  your  movements  by 
the  circumstances  of  your  Inlist- 
ment.     This  is  not  all;  by  the 
time  you  have  got  men  arm'd 
and   equip' d,    the    difficulty   of 
doing  which  is  beyond  descrip 
tion,  and  with  every  new  sett  you 
have  the  same  trouble  to  encoun 
ter,  without  the  means  of  doing 
it. — In  short,  the  disadvantages 
are  so  great  and  apparent  to  me, 
that  I  am  convinced,  uncertain 
as  the  continuance  of  the  war  is, 
that  the  Congress  had  better  de 
termine  to  give  a  bounty  of  20, 
30,  or  even  40  Dollars  to  every 
man  ivho  will  Inlistfor  the  whole 
time,  be  it  long  or  short.     I  in 
tend  to  write  my  sentiments  fully 


61 


on  this  subject  to  Congress  the 
first  Icizure  time  I  have. 

I  am  exceeding  sorry  to  hear 
that  Arnold's  wound  is  in  an 
unfavourable  way ;  his  letter  to 
me  of  the  14$  ulto.  says  nothing 
of  this.  I  fancy  Congress  have 
given  some*  particular  direction 
respecting  Gen1  Prescot.  I  think 
they  ought  for  more  reasons  than 
one. 

I  am  sincerely  and  affection 
ately,  your  most  obedient  servant, 
G°  WASHINGTON. 

Be  so  good  as  to  send  the  en 
closed  letter  of  Randolph's  to  the 
Post- Office. 


XII. 

CAMBRIDGE,  Febr  10,  1776. 
MY  DEAR  SIR 

173  Your  obliging  favours  of  the  173  S.  Sentence  in  Italics  omitted . 
2  8  th  ult.  and  1st  inst.  are  now 
before  me,  and  claim  my  par 
ticular  thanks  for  the  polite  at 
tention  you  pay  to  my  wishes  in 
an  early  and  regular  communi 
cation  of  what  is  passing  in  your 
quarter. 

If,  my  dear  sir,  you  conceive 
that  I  took  anything  wrong  or 
amiss  that  was  conveyed  in  any 
of  your  former  letters,  you  are 
really  mistaken;  I  only  meant 


*  "Some"  omitted  by  me. 


62 


to  convince  you  that  nothing 
would  give  me  more  real  satis 
faction  than  to  know  the  senti 
ments  which  are  entertained  of 
me  by  the  publick,  whether  they 
be  favourable  or  otherwise ;  and 
urged  as  a  reason,  that  the  man 
who  wished  to  steer  clear  of 
shelves  and  rocks,  must  know 
where  they  lay.  I  know — hut 
to  declare  it,  unless  to  a  friend, 
may  be  an  argument  of  vanity'17* 
— the  integrety  of  my  own  heart. 
I  know  the  unhappy  predicament 
I  stand  in.  I  know  that  much  is 
expected  of  me.  I  know  that  with 
out  men,  without  arms,  without 
ammunition,  without  any  thing 
fit  for  the  accommodation  of  a 
soldier,  that  little  is  to  be  done, 
— and,  ivhich175  is  mortifying,  I 
know  that  I  cannot  stand  justi 
fied  to  the  world,  without  ex 
posing  my  own  weakness,  and 
injuring  the  cause  by  declaring 
my  wants,  which  I  am  deter 
mined  not  to  do,  further  than 
unavoidable  necessity  brings 
every  man  acquainted  with  ym. 
If,  under  these  disadvantages, 
I  am  able  to  keep  above  water, 
(as  it  were)176  in  the  esteem  of 
mankind,  I  shall  feel  myself 
happy;  but  if,  from  the  unknown 
peculiarity  of  my  circumstances, 
I  suffer  in  the  opinion  of  the 
world,  I  shall  not  think  you 
take  the  freedom  of  a  friend,  if 


174  S.  Transposed. 


175  S.  "what." 


176  S.  "as  it  were"  omitted. 


63 


you  conceal  the  reflections  that 
may  be  cast  upon  my  conduct. 
My  own  situation  feels1'7"1  so  irk 
some  to  me  at  times,  that  if  I 
did  not  consult  the  publick  good 
more  than  my  own  tranquility  I 
should  long  e're  this  have  put 
every  thing  to17s  the  cast  of  a 
Dye.  So  far  from  my  having 
an  army  of  20,000  men,  well 
armed,  &c.,  I  have  been  here 
with  less  than  one-half  of  it™ 
including  sick,  furloughed,  and 
on  command ;  and  those  neither 
armed  or  cloathed  as  they  should 
be.  In  short,  my  situation  has 
been  such  that  I  have  been 
oblig'd  to  use  art  to  conceal  it 
from  my  own  officers. 

^°The  Congress,  as  you  ob 
serve,  expect,  I  believe,  that  1 
should  do  more  than  others, — 
for  whilst  they  compel  me  to  In- 
list  men  without  a  bounty,  they 
give  40  to  others,  which  will,  I 
expect,  put  a  stand  to  our  Inlist- 
ments;  for  notwithstanding  all 
the  publick  virtue  which  is 
ascrib'd  to  these  people,  there  is 
no  Nation  under  the  sun,  {that  I 
ever  came  across)  pay  greater 
adoration  to  money  than  they  do 
— /  am  pleas' d  to  find  that  your 
Battalions  are  cloathed  and  look 
well,  and  that  they  are  filing  of 
for  Canada — I  wish  I  could  say 
that  the  troops  here  had  altered 
much  in  Dress  or  appearance. 


'is. 


173  S. 


on,' 


179  S   "that  number." 


S.  Passage  in  Italics  omitted 


64 


Our  regiments  are  little  more 
than  half  compleat,  and  recruit 
ing  nearly  at  a  stand — In  all  my 
letters  I  fail  not  to  mention  of 
Tents,  and  now  perceive  that  no 
tice  is  taken  of  yr  application. 
I  have  been  convinced,  by  Gene 
ral  Howe's  conduct,  that  he  has 
either  been  very  ignorant  of  our 
situation  (which  I  do  not  believe,) 
or  that  he  has  received  positive 
orders  (which,  I  think,  is  natural 
to  conclude)  not  to  put  anything 
to  the  hazard  till  his  reinforce 
ments  arrive; — otherwise  there 
has  been  a  time  since  the  first  of 
December,  that  we  must  have 
fought  like  men  to  have  main 
tained  these  Lines,  so  great  in 
their  extent.  The  party  to  Bun 
ker's  Hillls±  had  some  good  and 
some  bad  men  engaged  in  it. 
One  or  two  Courts  have  been 
held  on  the  conduct  of  part  of 
182it: — to  be  plain,  these  people 
— ^among  friends — are  not  to 
be  depended  upon,  if  exposed ; 
and  any  man  will  fight  well,  if 
he  thinks  himself  in  no  danger 
— I  do  not  apply  this  to  these 
people — I  suppose  it  to  be  the 
case  with  all  raw  and  undisci 
plined  troops. 

You  may  rely  upon  it,  that 
transports  left  Boston  six  weeks 
ago  with  troops ;  where  they  are 
gone  to  (unless  drove*  to  the 


181  S.  "sent  to  Bunker's  Hill." 


183  S.  "them." 

183  S.  "among  friends"  omitted, 


*  Printed  by  me  "  observe" — a  misprint. 


65 


West  Indies)  I  know  not.  You 
may  also  rely  upon  General 
Clinton's  sailing  from  Boston 
about  3  weeks  ago,  with  about 
four  or  five  hundred  men — his 
destination  I  am  also  a  stranger 
to.  I  am  sorry  to  hear  of  the 
failures  you  speak  of  from 
France;  but  why  will  not  Con 
gress  forward  part  of  the  powder 
made  in  your  province?  They 
seem  to  look  upon  this  as  the 
season  for  action,  but  will  not 
furnish  the  means, — But  I  will 
not  blame  them — I  dare  say  the 
demands  upon  them  are  greater 
than  they  can  supply.  The 
cause  must  be  starved  till  our 
resources  are  greater,  or  more 
certain  within  ourselves. 

With  respect  to  myself,  I 
have  never  entertained  an  Idea 
of  an  accommodation  since  I 
heard  of  the  measures  which 
were  adopted  in  consequence  of 
the  Bunker's  Hill  fight.  The 
King's  speech  has  confirmed  the 
sentiments  I  entertained  upon 
the  news  of  that  affair, — and  if 
every  man  was  of  my  mind,  the 
ministers  of  Gr.  B.  should  know 
in  a  few  words  upon  what  issue 
the  cause  should  be  put.  I 
would  not  be  deceived  by  artful 
declarations  or  specious  pre 
tences  }  nor  would  I  be  amused 
by  unmeaning  propositions ;  but 
in  open,  undisguised,  and  manly 
5 


66 


terms,  proclaim  our  wrongs  and 
our  resolutions  to  be  redressed. 
I  would  tell  them  that  we  had 
born  much — that  we  had  long 
and  ardently  sought  for  recon 
ciliation  upon  honourable  terms 
— that  it  had  been  denied  us — 
that  all  our  attempts  after  peace 
had  proved  abortive,  and  had 
been  grossly  misrepresented — 
that  we  had  done  everything 
that  could  be  expected  from  the 
best  of  subjects — that  the  spirit 
of  freedom  beat184  too  high  in  us 
to  submit  to  slavery — and  that 
if  nothing  else  would  satisfie  a 
Tyrant  and  his  diabolical  min 
istry,  we  were  determined  to 
.shake  of  all  connexions  with  a 
state  so  unjust  and  unnatural. 
This  I  would  tell  them,  not  un 
der  covert,  but  in  words  as  clear 
as  the  sun  in  its  meridian  bright 
ness. 

I  observe  what  you  say  in 
respect  to  the  ardour  of  chim 
ney-corner  Heros.  I  am  glad 
their  zeal  is  in  some  measure 
abated,  because  if  circumstances 
will  not  permit  us  to  make  an 

attempt  upon  B ,  or  if  it 

should  be  made  and  fail,  we 
shall  not  appear  altogether  so 
culpable.  I  entertain  the  same 
opinion  of  the  attempt  now 
which  I  have  ever  done — I  be 
lieve  an  assault  will  be  attended 
with  considerable  loss, — and  T 


67 


believe  it  would  succeed,  if  the 
men  should  behave  well ;  with 
out  it,  unless  there  is  equal  bad 
behaviour  on  the  other  side  we 
cannot.  As  to  an  attack  upon 

B Hill  (unless  it  could  be 

carried  by  surprize)  the  loss  I 
conceive  would  be  greater  in 
proportion  than  at  Boston ;  and 
if  a  defeat  should  follow,  would 
be  discouraging  to  the  men,  but 
highly  animating  if  crown'd 
with  success — Great  good  or 
great  evil  would  consequently 
result  from  it, — is5it  is  quite  a 
different  thing  to  what  you  left, 
being  l>y  odds  the  strongest  fort 
ress  they  possess,  both  in  rear 
and  front. 

The  Congress  having  ordered 
all  captures  to  be  tried  in  the 
Courts  of  Admiralty  of  the  dif 
ferent  governments  to  which 
they  are  sent,  and  some  irrecon 
cilable  difference  arising  between 
the  resolves  of  Congress,  and  the 
law  of  this  Colony  respecting 
the  proceedings  or  something  or 
another™6  which  always  happens 
to  procrastinate  business  here, 
has  put  a  total  stop  to  the  tryals, 
to  the  no  small  injury  of  the 
publick  as  well  as  great  griev 
ance  of  individuals.  Whenever 
a  condemnation  shall  take  place, 
I  shall  not  be  unmindful  of  your 
advice  respecting  the  hulls,  &c. 
Would  to  Heaven  the  plan  you 


185  S.  Sentence  in  Italics  omitted. 


186  S.  "or  another"  omitted. 


speak  of  for  obtaining  arms  may 
succeed — the  acquisition  would 
be  great,  and  give  fresh  life  and 
vigour  to  our  measures,  is7as 
would  the  arrival  you  speak  ofj 
our  expectations  are  kept  alive, 
and  if  we  can  keep  ourselves  so, 
and188  spirits  up  another  sum 
mer,  I  have  no  fears  of  wanting 
the  needful  after  that. 

*89As  the  number  of  our  In- 
listed  men  were  too  small  to  un 
dertake  any  offensive  operation, 
if  the  circumstances  of  weather :, 
&c.  should  favour,  I  ordered  in 
(by  application  to  this  Govt, 
Connecticut  and  New  Hamp 
shire)  as  many  regiments  of 
militia  as  would  enable  us  to 
attempt  something  in  some  man 
ner  or  other — they  were  to  have 
been  here  by  the  first  of  the  month, 
but  only  a  few  straggling  compa 
nies  are  yet  come  in.  The  Bay 
towards  Roxbury  has  been  froze 
up  once  or  twice  pretty  hard,  and 
yesterday  single  persons  might 
have  crossed,  I  believe,  from 
Litchmore's  Point,  by  picking 
his  way : — a  thaw,  I  fear,  is 
again  approaching.  We  have 
had  the  most  laborious  piece  of 
work  at  Litchmore's  Point,  on 
ace*  of  the  frost,  that  ever  you 
saw.  We  hope  to  get  it  finished 
on  Sunday.  It  is  within  as  com 
manding  a  distance  of  Boston 
as  Dorchester  Hill,  though  of  a 


187  S.  Omitted. 


inserted. 


189  S.  Passage  in  Italics  omitted. 


69 


different  part — Our  vessels  now 
and  then  pick  up  a  prize  or  two. 
Our  Commodore  (Manley)  was 
very  near  being  catched  about 
8  days  ago,  but  happily  escaped 
with190  vessel  and  crew,  after 
running191  ashore,  scuttling,  and 
defending  her.  I  recollect  no 
thing  else  worth  giving  you  the 
trouble  of,  unless  you  can  be 
amused  by  reading  a  letter  and 
poem  addressed  to  me  by  Mrs. 
or™  Miss  Phillis  Wheatley.  In 
searching  over  a  parcel  of  papers 
the  other  day,  in  order  to  de 
stroy  such  as  were  useless,  I 
brought  it  to  light  again: — at 
first  with  a  view  of  doing  justice 
to  her  great193  poetical  genius,  I 
had  a  great  mind  to  publish  the 
poem,  but  not  knowing  whether 
it  might  not  be  considered  rather 
as  a  mark  of  my  own  vanity  than 
as  a  compliment  to  her,  I  laid  it 
aside,  till  I  came  across  it  again 
in  the  manner  just  mentioned. 
I  congratulate  you  on  your  elec 
tion,  although  I  consider  it  the 
coup-de-grace  to  my  expectation 
of  ever  seeing  you  resident  in 
this 'camp  again.19*  I  have  only 
to  regret  the  want  of  you,  if 
that  should  be  the  case,  and  I 
shall  do  it  more  feelingly  as  I 
have  experienced  the  good  effects 
of  your  aid. — I  am,  with  Mrs. 
Washington's  compliments  to 


190  S.  "his  vessels." 

191  S.  "the  former  ashore/ 


193  S.  "Mrs.  or"  omitted. 


S.  "great"  omitted. 


S.  "with  me,  this  campaign." 


70 


Mrs.  Reed,  and  ray  best  respects 
added*25  dear  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  and  affec 
tionate  humble  servant, 

o.  w. 


195  S.  "added"  omitted, 


XIII. 


CAMBRIDGE,  February  2Qth,  1776. 

DEAR  SIR, 

196x4  line  or  two  from  you  by 
Colonel  Bull,  which  came  to 
hand  last  evening,  is  the  only 
letter  I  have  received  from  you 
since  the  21s£  January —  this 
added  to  my  getting  none  from 
any  other  correspondent  south 
ward)  leads  me  to  apprehend 
some  miscarriage.  I  am  to  ob 
serve,  though,  that  the  Satur 
day 's  post  is  not  yet  arrived, — 
by  that  I  may  possibly  get  letters. 
We  have,  under  as197  many  dif 
ficulties,  perhaps,  (on  account 
of  hard  frozen  ground,)  as  ever 
working  parties  engaged,  coni- 
pleated  our  work  on  Litchmore's 
Point ;  we  have  got  some  heavy 
pieces  of  ordinance  placed  there, 
two  platforms  fixed  for  mortars, 
and  every  thing  but  the  thing11-* 
ready  for  any  offensive  operation. 
Strong  guards  are  now  mounted 
there,  and  at  Cobble  Hill. 
About  ten  days  ago,  the  severe 
freezing  weather  formed  some 
pretty  strong  ice  from  Dorches- 


196  S.  Passage  in  Italics  omitted. 


197  S.  "We  have,  under  many 
difficulties,  on  account  of  hard 
frozen  ground,  completed  our 
work  on  Litchmore's  Point." 


198  S.  "but  the  thing"  omitted. 


71 


ter  to  Boston  Neck,  and  from 
Roxbury  to  the  Common.  This 
I  thought  (knowing  the  ice  could 
not  last)  a  favourable  opportu 
nity  to  make  an  assault  upon 
the  troops  in  town.  I  proposed 
it  in  council ;  but  behold !  though 

/  D 

we  had  been  waiting  all  the  year 
for  this  favourable  event,  the 
enterprise  was  thought  too  dan 
gerous  !  Perhaps  it  was — per 
haps  the  irksorneness  of  my 
situation  led  rne  to  undertake 
more  than  could  be  warranted 
by  prudence.  I  did  not  think 
so,  and  am  sure  yet  that  the 
enterprise,  if  it  had  been  under 
taken  with  resolution,  must  have 
succeeded;  without  it,  any  would 
fail;  but  it  is  now  at  an  end, 
and  I  am  preparing  to  take  post 
on  Dorchester109  to  try  if  the 
eneni}'  will  be  so  kind  as  to 
come  out  to  us.  Ten  regiments 
of  militia,  you  must  know,  had 
come  in  to  strengthen  my  hands 
for  offensive  measures;  but  what 
I  have  here200  said  respecting  the. 
determinations  in  council,  and 
possessing  of  Dorchester  Point, 
is  spoken  under  the  rose. 

March  3d,  17 70. 

***  The  foregoing  ivas  intended 
for  another  conveyance,  but  be 
ing  hurried  with  some  other  mat 
ters,  and  not  able  to  complete  it, 
it  was  delayed  ;  since  which  your 


199  S.  "Heights." 


"here"  omitted. 


301  S.  Omitted. 


72 


favors  of  the  28th  January,  and 
1st  and  8th  of  February,  are 
come  to  hand.  For  the  agree 
able  account  contained  in  one  of 
them  of  your  progress  in  the 
manufacture  of  powder,  and 
prospect  of  getting  arms,  I  am 
obliged  to  you,  as  there  is  some 
consolation  in  knowing  that 
these  useful  articles  will  supply 
the  wants  of  some  part  of  the 
Continental  troops,  although  I 
feel  too  sensibly  the  mortification 
of  having  them  withheld  from 
me — Congress  not  even  thinking 
it  necessary  to  take  the  least 
notice  of  my  application  for 
these  things. 

I  hope  in  a  few  nights  to  be 
in  readiness  to  take  post  on 
Dorchester™2  as  we  are  using  203  S.  "Point." 
every  means  in  our  power  to 
provide  materials  for  this  pur 
pose,  the  ground  being  so  hard 
froze103  yet,  that  we  cannot  in-  **  S.  "frozen." 
trench,  and  therefore  are  obliged 
to  depend  entirely  upon  chanda- 
liers,  fascines,  and  screwed  hay 
for  our  redoubts.  It  is  expected 
that  this  work  will  bring  on  an 
action  between  the  King's  troops 
and  ours. 

General  Lee's  expedition  to 
New  York  was  founded  upon 
indubitable  evidence  of  General 
Clinton's  being  on  the  point  of 

sailing — no  place20*  so  likely  for      **  S.  "was  so  likely." 
his   destination    as   New  York, 


73 


nor™5  no    place  where    a    more      205  S.  "and." 
capitol  blow  could  be  given  to 

the  interests  of  America  mGthati      ™e  S.  "than  there"  omitted. 
there.  Common  prudence,  there 
fore,  dictated  the   necessity  of 
preventing  an  evil  which  might 
have  proved  irremediable,  had 
it  happened,   but   I  confess  to 
you  honestly,  I  had  no  idea  of 
running  the   Continent   to  the 
expense  which  was  incurred,  or 
that  such  a  body  of  troops  would 
go  from  Connecticut  as  did,  or 
be  raised  upon  the  terms  they 
were.       You    must    know,    my 
good  sir,  that  a  Capt.  Sears  was 
here,  with  some  other  gentlemen 
of  Connecticut,  when  the  intel 
ligence  of  Clinton's  imbarkation 
(at  least  the  imbarkation  of  the 
troops)    came    to   hand.      The 
situation  of  these  lines  would  not 
afford  a  detachment — New  York 
could  not  be  depended  upon, — 
and  of  the  troops  in  Jersey  we 
had     no     certain     information, 
either   o/207    their   numbers   or      ^  S.  "as  to." 
destination.     What  then  was  to 
be  done  ?    Why,  Sears  and  these 
other  gentlemen  assured  me,  that 
if  the  necessity  of  the  case  was 
signified  by  me,  and  that  Gene 
ral   Lee    should   be   sent,    one 
thousand  volunteers  (requiring 
no  pay,  but)  supplied  with  pro 
visions  only  would   march  im 
mediately   to   New   York,    and 
defend    the  place  till   Congress 


74 


could  determine  what  should  be 
done,  and  that  a  line  from  rne 
to  Governor  Trumbull,  to  obtain 
his  sanction,  would  facilitate  the 
measure.  This  I  accordingly 
wrote,  in  precise  terms,  intend 
ing  that  these  volunteers,  and 
such  of  the  Jersey  regiments  as 
could  be  speedily  assembled, 
should  be  thrown  into  the  city 
for  its  defence,  and  for  disarm 
ing  the  Tories  upon  Long  Island, 
who,  I  understood,  had  become 
extreamly  insolent  and  daring, 
when  behold !  instead  of  volun 
teers  consisting  of  gentlemen 
without  pay,  the  Governor  di 
rected  men  to  be  voluntarily 
enlisted  for  this  service,  upon 
Continental  pay  and  allowance. 
This,  you  will  observe,  was  con 
trary  to  my  expectation  and 
plan.  Yet  as  I  thought  it  a 
matter  of  the  last  importance  to 
secure  the  command***  of  the 
North  River,  I  did  not  think™ 
it  expedient  to  countermand  the 
raising  of  the  Connt  regiments 
on  account  of  the  pay;  if  T 
have  done  wrong,  those  mem 
bers  of  Congress  who  think  the 
matter  ought  to  have  been  left 
to  them,  must  consider  my  pro 
ceedings  as  an  error  of  judgment, 
and  that  a  measure  is  not  always 
to  be  judged  of210  by  the  event. 
It  is  moreover  worthy  of  con 
sideration  that  in  cases  of  ex- 


203  S.  "communication.' 

209  S.  adeem." 


210  S.  "of"  omitted. 


75 


treme  necessity  (as211  the  pre-  2U  S.  "like." 
sent)  nothing  but  decision  can 
insure  success,  and  certain  I  am 
that  Clinton  had  something  more 
in  view  by  peeping  into  New 
York  than  to  gratify  his  curi 
osity,  or  make  a  friendly  visit  to 
his  friend  Mr.Tryon, — however, 
I  am  not  fond  of  stretching  my 
powers;  and  if  the  Congress 
will  say  "thus  far  and  no  far 
ther  you  shall  go,"  I  will  pro 
mise  not  to  offend  whilst  I  con 
tinue  in  their  service.  I  observe 
what  you  say  in  respect  to  my 
wagon,  &c.  I  wanted  nothing 
more  than  a  light  travelling 
wagon  (such  as  those  of  New 
Jersey)  with  a  secure  cover 
which  might  be  under  lock  and 
key,  the  hinges  being  on  one 
side,  the  lock  on  the  other.  I 
have  no  copy  of  the  memoran 
dum  of  the  articles  I  desired 
you  to  provide  for  me,  but  think 
one  and  a  half  dozen  of  camp- 
stools,  a  folding  table,  rattier 
two,212  plates  and  dishes,  were  2ia  S.  Omitted, 
among  them;  what  I  meant 
therefore,  was  that  the  bed  of 
thuF*  wagon  should  be  con-  213  S.  "the." 
structed  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
stow  these  things  to  the  best  ad 
vantage.  If  you  cannot  get 
them  with  you,  I  shall  despair 
of  providing  them  here,  as  work 
men  are  scarce  and  most  exorbi 
tantly  high  in  their  charges. 


76 


What  I  should  aim  at  is,  when 
the  wagon  and  things  are  ready 
(which  ought  to  be  very  soon, 
as  I  do  not  know  how  soon  we 
may  beat  a  march)  to  buy  a 
pair  of  clever  horses,  same  co 
lour,  hire  a  careful  driver,  and 
let  the  whole  come  come  off  at 
once,  and  then  they  are214  ready 
for  immediate  service.  I  have  no 
doubt  lutf™  that  the  Treasury, 
by  application  to  Mr.  Hancock, 
will  direct  payment  thereof  with 
out  any  kind  of  difficulty,  as 
Congress  must  be  sensible  that 
I  cannot  take  the  field  without 
equipage,  and  after  I  have  once 
got  into  a  tent,  I  shall  not  soon 
quit  it. 

March  7th. 

*lGThe  Rumpus  which  every 
body  expected  to  see  between  the 
Ministerialists  in  Boston  and  our 
troops,  has  detained  the  bearer 
till  this  time.  On  Monday  night 
1  took  possession  of  the  Heights 
of  Dorchester  with  two  thousand 
men  under  the  command  of 
General  Thomas.  Previous  to 
this,  and  in  order  to  divert  the 
enemyjs  attention  from  the  real 
object,  and  to  harass,  we  began 
on  Saturday  night  a  cannonade 
and  bombardment,  which  with 
intervals  was  continued  through 
the  night — the  same  on  Sunday, 
and  on  Monday,  a  continued 


214  S.  "will  be.' 


215  S.  "but"  omitted. 


16  S.  The  part  in  Italics  omit 
ted.  See,  however,  the  letter  to 
Congress  of  same  date,  in  which 
the  same  intelligence  is  com 
municated,  though  in  a  far  more 
formal  tone. 


77 


roar  from  seven  o'clock  till  day 
light  was  kept  up  between  the 
enemy  and  us.  In  this  time  we 
had  an  officer  and  one  private 
kitted,  and  four  or  jive  wounded; 
and  through  the  ignorance,  I 
suppose,  of  our  artillerymen, 
burst  Jive  mortars  (two  thirteen 
inch,  and  three  ten  inch)  the 
"Congress"  one  of  them.  What 
damage  the  enemy  has  sustained 
is  not  known,  as  there  has  not 
been  a  creature  out  of  Boston 
since.  The  canonade,  &c.,  ex 
cept  in  the  destruction  of  the 
mortars,  answered  our  expecta 
tions  fully;  for  though  we  had 
upwards  o/300  teams  in  motion 
at  the  same  instant,  carrying  on 
our  fascines,  and  other  materials 
to  the  Neck,  and  the  moon  shin 
ing  in  its  full  lustre,  we  were  not 
discovered  till  daylight  on  Tues 
day  morning. 

So  soon  as  we  were  discovered, 
every  thing  seemed  to  be  prepar 
ing  for  an  attack,  but  the  tide 
failing  before  they  were  ready, 
about  one  thousand  only  were 
able  to  embark  in  six  transports 
in  the  afternoon,  and  these  fall 
ing  down  towards  the  Castle, 
were  drove  on  shore  by  a  violent 
storm,  which  arose  in  the  after 
noon  of  that  day,  and  continued 
through  the  night;  since  that  they 
have  been  seen  returning  to  Bos 
ton,  and  whether  from  an  ap- 


78 


prehension  that  our  works  are 
now  too  formidable  to  make  any 
impression  on,  or  from,  what 
other  causes  I  know  not,  but 
their  hostile  appearances  have 
subsided,  and  they  are  removing 
their  ammunition  out  of  tlirir 
magazine,  whether  with  a  view 
to  move  bag  and  baggage  or  not 
I  cannot  undertake  to  say,  but 
if  we  had  powder,  (and  our 
mortars  replaced,  which  I  am 
about  to  do  by  new  cast  ones  as 
soon  as  possible)  I  would,  so  soon 
as  we  were  sufficiently  strength 
ened  on  the  heights  to  take  pos 
session  of  the  point  Just  opposite 
to  Boston  Neck,  give  them  a  dose 
they  would  not  well  like. 

We  had  prepared  boats,  a  de 
tachment  0/4000  men,  &c.,  &r..9 
for  pushing  to  the  west  part  of 
Boston,  if  they  had  made  any 
formidable    attack    upon   Dor 
chester.     217/  will  not  lament  or      a17  S.  To  the  end  of  this  para- 
repine  at  any  act  of  Providence      graph  is  given  in  a  note,  vol.  iii. 
because  lam  in  a  great  measure,      p.  306. 
a  convert  to  Mr.  Pope's  opinion, 
that  whatever  is,  is  right,  but21*  I     a18  "and  I  think." 
think  everything  had  the  appear 
ance  of  a  successful  issue,  if  we 
had  come  to  an  engagement  on 
that   day.     It   was    the  5th   of 
March,  which  I  recalled  to  their 
remembrance  as  a  day  never  to 
be  forgotten;  an  engagement  was 
fully  expected,  and  I  never  saw 


79 


spirits  higher ,  or  more  ardour 
prevailing. 

Your  favour  of  the  18th  ulto. 
came  to  my  hands  by  post  last 
night,  and  gives  me  much  plea 
sure,  as  I  am  led  to  hope  I  shall 
see  you  of319  my  family  again:  31<J  S.  "in." 
the  terms  upon  which  you  come 
will  be  perfectly  agreeable  to 
me,  and  I  should  think  you  nei 
ther  candid  nor  friendly  if  your 
communications  on  this  subject 
had  not  been  free,  unreserved, 
and  divested  of  that  false  22f}kind 
of  modesty  which  too  often  pre 
vents  the  elucidation  of  points 
important  to  be  known. 

Mr.  Baylor,  seeming  to  have 
an  inclination  to  go  into  the 
artillery,  and  Col.  Knox221  de 
sirous  of  it,  I  have  appointed 

Mr.    Moylan    and    Mr.   Palfrey 

my  aid-de-camp,  so  that  I  shall, 

if  you  come,  have  a  good  many 

writers    about    me.      I     think 

my  countrymen  made  a  capitol 

mistake  when  they  took  Henry 

out  of  the   Senate  to  place  him 

in  the  field,  and  pity  it  is  he 

does  not  see    this,  and  remove 

every  difficulty  by  a  voluntary 

resignation.      I  am   of   opinion 

that  Colonel  Armstrong  (if  he 

retains  his  health,  spirits,  and 

vigour)  will  be  as  fit  a  person 

as  any  they  could  send  to  Vir 
ginia,  as  he  is  senior  officer  to 

any  now    there,  and   I    should 


220  S.  "kind  of"  omitted. 


S.  "being  desirous." 


80 


think  could  give  no  offence ;  but 
to  place  Colonel  Thompson  there 
in  the  first  command,  would 
throw  every  thing  into  the  ut 
most  confusion,  for  it  was  by 
mere  chance  he  became  a  colo 
nel  upon  this  expedition,  and 
by  greater  chance  he  became 
first  colonel,  in  this  army;  to 
take  him  then  from  another 
colony,  place  him  over  the  heads 
of  several  gentlemen  under,  or 
with  whom,  he  has  served  in  a 

low  and222  subordinate  character,  ^  S.  "low  and"  omitted, 
would  never  answer  any  other 
purpose  but  that  of  introducing 
endless  confusion, — such  a  thing 
surely  cannot  be  in  contempla 
tion,  and  knowing  the  mischiefs 
it  would  produce,  surely  Colonel 
Thompson  would  have  more 
sense  and  a  greater  regard  for 
the  cause  he  is  engaged  in,  than 
to  accept  of  it;  unless  some  un 
common  abilities  or  exertions 
had  given  him  a  superior  claim. 
He  must  know  that  nothing 
more  than  being  a  captain  of 
horse  in  the  year  1759  (I  think 
it  was,)  did  very  extraordinarily 
give  him  the  start  he  now  has, 
when  the  rank  was  settled  here  : 
— at  the  same  time  he  must 
know  another  fact,  that  several 
officers  now  in  the  Virginia  ser 
vice,  were  much  his  superiors 
in  point  of  rank,  and  will  not,  I 
am  sure,  serve  under  him.  He 


81 


stands  first  Colonel  here,  and 
may,  I  presume,  put  in  a  very 
good  and  proper  claim  to  the 
first  brigade  that  falls  vacant. 
But  I  hope  more  regard  will  be 
paid  to  the  service  than  to  send 
him  to  Virginia.  The  bringing 
of  Colonel  Armstrong  into  this 
army  as  Major-General,  however 
great  his  merit,  would  introduce 
much  confusion.  Thomas,  if  no 
more,  would  surely  quit,  and  I 
believe  him  to  be  a  good  man. 
If  Thomas  supplies  the  place  of 
Lee,  there  will  be  a  vacancy  for 
either  Armstrong  or  Thompson, 
for  I  have  heard  of  no  other 
valiant  sou  of  New  England 
waiting  promotion  since  the  ad 
vancement  of  Fry,  who  has  not, 
and  I  doubt  will  not  do  much 
service  to  the  cause;  aasat  pre-  233  S.  Omitted. 
sent  lie  keeps  his  room,  and  talks 
learnedly  of  emetics,  cathartics, 
&c.  For  my  own  part,  I  see 
nothing  but  a  declining  life  that 
matters  him.  I  am  sorry  to 
hear  of  your  ill-fated  fleet.  We 
had  it,  I  suppose,  because  we 
wished  it,  that  Hopkins  had 
taken  Clinton  and  his  trans 
ports.  How  glorious  would  this 
have  been  !  We  have  the  pro 
verb  of22*  our  side,  however,  224  S.  "on  our  side." 
that  a  bad  beginning  will  end 
well : — this  applies  to  land  and 
sea  service.  The  account  given 
of  the  business  of  the  Commis- 
6 


82 


sioners  from  England  seems  to 
be  of  a  piece  with  Lord  North's 
conciliatory  motion  of  last  year, 
built  upon  the  same  foundation, 
and  if  true  that  they  are  to  be 
divided  among  the  Colonies  to 
offer  terms  of  pardon,  is  as  in 
sulting  as  that  motion,  and  only 
designed,  after  stopping  all  in 
tercourse  with  us,  to  set  us  to 
view  in  Great  Britain  as  a  peo 
ple  that  will  not  hearken  to  any 
propositions  of  peace.  Was  there 
ever  thing  more  absurd  than  to 
repeal  the  very  acts  which  have 
introduced  all  this  confusion  and 
bloodshed,  and  at  the  same  time 
enact  a  law  to  restrain  all  inter 
course  with  the  Colonies  for 
opposing  them !  The  drift  and 
design  is  obvious ;  but  is  it  pos 
sible  that  any  sensible  nation 
upon  earth  can  be  imposed  upon 
by  such  a  cobweb  scheme  or 
gauze  covering* — but  enough 

225or  else  upon  a  subject  so  co-      225  S.  The    rest     of    the    letter 
pious  I  should  enter  upon  my      omitted. 
ffih  sheet  of  paper.     I  have,  if 
length  of  letter  will   do   it}   al 
ready  made  you  ample  amend 
for  the  silence  which  my  hurry 
in  preparing  for  what  I  hoped 
would  be  a  decisive  stroke,  obliged 
me  to  keep.     My  best  respects  to 
Mrs.  Reed,  in  which  Mrs.  Wash- 


*  Here  is  one  of  the  oversights  in  my  book,  plainly  the  result  of  accident. 
The  words  "nation  upon  earth  can  be  imposed  upon  by  such  a  cobweb 
scheme  or  gauze  covering"  are  omitted  by  me. 


83 


ingt&n  join-s,  concludes  me,  dear 
sir, 

Your  most  obedient 
affectionate  servant, 
0°  WASHINGTON. 

March  fJth. 

Colonel  Bull  still  waiting  to  see 
a  little  further  into  the  event  of 
things,  gives  me  an  opportunity 
of  adding,  that  from  a  gentle 
man  out  of  Boston,  confirmed 
by  a  paper  from  the  Selectmen 
there,  we  have  undoubted  in 
formation  of  General  Howe's 
preparing  with  great  precipi 
tancy  to  embark  his  troops ;  for 
what  place  we  know  not ;  Hali 
fax,  it  is  said.  The  Selectmen, 
being  under  dreadful  apprehen 
sion  for  the  town,  applied  to 
General  Robinson  to  apply  to 
General  Howe,  who  through 
General  Robinson  has  inform'd 
them  that  it  is  not  his  intention 
to  destroy  the  tcwn,  unless  his 
Majesty's  troops  should  be  mo 
lested  during  their  imbarkation, 
or  at  their  departure.  This  pa 
per  seems  so  much  under  covert, 
un authenticated,  and  addressed 
to  nobody,  that  I  sent  word  to 
them  (that  is  the  Selectmen) 
that  I  could  take  no  notice  of 
it ;  but  I  shall  go  on  with  niv 
preparations  as  intended.  The 
gentlemen  above  mentioned,  out 
of  Boston,  say  that  they  seem 
to  be  in  <ireat  consternation 


84 


there,  that  one  of  our  shot  from 
Lamb's  Dam  disabled  six  men, 
in  their  beds,  and  that  the  Ad 
miral,  upon  discovering  our 
works  next  morning,  informed 
the  General  that,  unless  we  were 
dispossessed  of  them,  he  could 
not  keep  the  King's  ships  in  the 
harbour;  and  that  three  thou 
sand  men,  commanded  by  Lord 
Percy,  were  actually  imbarked 
f  >r  that  purpose.  The  issue  of  it 
you  have  been  informed  before. 
Yours,  £c. 

G.  W. 


XIV. 

CAMBRIDGE,  March  19//t,  1770.* 

MY  DEAR  SIR, 

We  have  at  length  got  the 
ministerial  troops  in  this  quarter 
on  shipboard.  Our  possessing 
Dorchester  Heights,  as  mention 
ed  in  my  last,  put  them  (after 
they  had  given  over  the  design 
of  attacking  us)  into  a  most 
violent  hurry  to  embark,  which 
was  still  further  precipitated  on 
Sunday  morning  by  our  break 
ing  ground  on  Nukes'  Hill,  (the 
point  nearest  the  town,)  the 
night  before.  The  whole  fleet 


*  This  letter  is  not  published  by  Mr.  Sparks.  I  am  tempted  to  reprint 
it  mainly  on  account  of  its  spirited  tone — much  more  at  tractive  than  the 
statoliness  of  Washington's  style  in  writing  to  Congress 


85 


is  now  in  Nantasket  and  King's 
Roads,  waiting  for  I  know  not 
what,  unless  to  give  us  a  parting 
blow,  for  which  I  shall  endeavour 
to  be  prepared. 

The  hurry  in  which  the}^  have 
imbarked  is  inconceivable;  they 
have  not,  from  a  rough  estimate, 
left  less  than  £30,000  worth  of 
his  Majesty's  property  behind 
them,  in  provisions  and  stores, 
vessels,  rugs,  '  blankets,  &c. ; 
near  thirty  pieces  of  fine  heavy 
cannon  are  left  spiked,  which 
wo  are  now  drilling — a  mortar 
or  two — the  II.  shells,  &c.  in 
abundance, — all  their  artillery- 
carts,  powder- wagons,  &c.  &c., 
which  they  have  been  twelve 
months  about,  are  left  with  such 
abuse  as  their  hurry  would  per 
mit  them  to  bestow ;  whilst 
others,  after  a  little  cutting  and 
hacking,  were  thrown  into  the 
harbour,  and  now  are  visiting 
every  shore.  In  short,  you  can 
scarce  form  an  idea  of  the  mat 
ter.  Valuable  vessels  are  left 
with  only  a  mast  or  bowsprit 
cut  down — some  of  them  loaded; 
— their  works  all  standing,  upon 
examination  of  which,  especially 
that  at  Bunker's  Hill,  we  find 
amazingly  strong;  twenty  thou 
sand  men  could  not  have  carried 
it  against  one  thousand,  had  that 
work  been  well  defended.  The 
town  of  Boston  was  almost  im- 


86 


pregnable — every  avenue  forti 
fied.  I  have  already  marched 
die  riflemen  and  five  regiments 
for  New  York ;  I  cannot  spare 
more,  whilst  the  fleet  hover  in 
our  harbour.  80  soon  as  they 
are  fairly  gone,  more  will  follow 
with  all  expedition,  as  I  shall 
do  myself,  as  I  suppose  New 
York  to  be  the  object  in  view. 
I  write  you  in  much  haste,  and 
therefore  can  only  add  that  I 
an),  dear  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  and 
affectionate  servant, 
G.  WASHINGTON. 

P.  S.   I  impatiently  wish  to 
see  you. 


XY. 

CAMBRIDGE,  March  "2oth,  1776. 

MY  DEAR  SIR, 

Since  my  last,  things  remain 
nearly  in  statu  quo.  The  ene 
my  have  the  best  knack  at  puz 
zling  people  I  ever  met  with  in 
my  life.  They  have  blown  up, 
burnt,  and  demolished  the  castle 
totally,  and  are  now  all  in  Nan- 

tasket  Road— have™  been  there      ^  S.  "They  have." 
ever  since  Wednesday,  what  do 
ing2*7  the  Lord  knows.    Various      ~37  S.  "what  they  are  doing. 
are    the  conjectures;    the  Bos- 
tonians  think  their   stay  there 
absolutely  necessary  to  fit  them 
for  sea,  as  the  vessels  neither  in 


87 


themselves  nor  loading  icas223  in 
any  degree  fit  for  a  voyage,  being 
loaded™  in  great  haste  and  much 
disorder.  This  opinion  is  cor 
roborated  by  a  deserter  from  one 
of  the  transports,  who  says  they 
have  yards,  booms,  bowsprits, 
£c.  yet  to  fix.  Others  again 
think  that  they  have  a  mind  to 
pass  over  the  equinoctial  gale 
before  they  put  out,  not  being 
in  the  best  condition  to  stand 
one — others  that  they  are  wait- 
ing'230  reinforcements,  (which  I 
believe  they  have  received^1  as 
I  have  had  an  account  of  the 
sailing  of  fifteen  vessels  from  the 
West  Indies,  ™and  that  that 
number  have  been  seen  coming 
into  the  Road.)  But  my  opinion 
of  the  matter  is,  that  they  want 
to  retrieve  their  disgrace  before 
they  go  off,  and  I  think  a  favour 
able  opportunity  presents  itself 
to  them.  They  have  now  got 
their  whole  force  into  one  col 
lected  body,  and  no  posts  to 
guard.  We  have  detached  six 
regiments  to  New  York,  have933 
many  points  to  look  to,  and  on 
Monday  next  ten  regiments  of 
militia  which  were  brought  in  to 
serve  till  the  1st  of  April,  stand834 
disengaged.  From  former  expe 
rience,  we  have  found  it  equally™ 
practicable  to  stop  a  torrent  as 
these  people,  when  their  time  is 
up  j  if  this  should  be  the  case 


S. 


"nor  their  lading  were." 
"having  been  loaded." 


S. 


Omitted  ;  obviously  a  ty 
pographical  error, 
"has  arrived." 


233  S.  Omitted. 


233  S.  "and  have." 


234  S.  "will  be/' 


S. 


88 


now,  what  more  favourable  open 
ing  can  the  enemy  wish  for,  to 
make  a  nrf36  upon  our  lines —  ^  S.  "a  push/' 
nay,  upon  the  back  of  our  lines 
at  Roxbury?  as  they  can  land 
TWO  miles  from  them,  and  pass 
behind.  I  am  under  more  ap 
prehension  from  them  now  than 
ever,  and  am  taking  every  pre 
caution  I  can  to  guard  against 
the  evil ;  but  we  have  a  kind  of 
people  to  deal  with  who  will  not 
fear  danger  till  the  bayonet  is  at 
their  breast,  and  then  are  sus 
ceptible  enough  of  it.  I  am  for 
tifying  Fort  Hill  in  Boston,  de 
molishing  the  lines  on  the  Neck 

there,  (as  it  /s337  a  defence  against      ^  S.  "as  they  arc." 
the  country  only,)  and  make™      £/3S  S.  "making" 
such  other  dispositions  as  appears 
necessary  for  a  general  defence. 
I  can  spare  no  more  men,  till  I 
see    the    enemy's   back    fairly 
turned,  and  then  shall  hasten  to 
New  York.     You  mention  Mr. 
Webb  in  one  of  your  letters  as239      **  S.  "for." 
an  assistant;  he  will  be  agree 
able  enough  to  me,  if  you  think 
him  qualified  for  the  business. 
What  kind  of  a  hand  he  writes, 
I  know  not;    I  believe  but  a 
cramped  one — latterly  none  at 
all,  as  he  has  either  the  gout  or 
rheumatism  m340  both.     He  is      24°  S.  "or." 
a  man  fond   of  company,   of'M      241  S.  "and.'1 
gaiety— and  of242  a  tender  con-      2*2  S.  "and  is  of." 
stitution ;     whether,    therefore, 
such    a    person   would    answer 


89 


your  purpose  so  well  as  a  plod 
ding,  methodical  person,  whose 
sole  business  should  be  to  ar 
range  his  papers,  &c.  in  such 
order  as  to  produce  any  one  at 
any  instant  it  is  called  for,  and 
capable,  at  the  same  time,  of 
composing  a  letter,  is  what  you 
have  to  consider.  I  can  only 
add  that  I  have  no  one  in  view 
myself,  and  wish  you  success  in 
your  choice,  being  with  great 
truth  and  sincerity, 

Dear  sir,  your  affectionate 
servant, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 

P.  S.  I  have  taken  occasion 
to  hint  to  a  certain  gentleman 
in  this  Camp,  without  introduc 
ing  names,  my  apprehensions  of 
his  being  concerned  in  trade. 
He  protests  most  solemnly,  that 
he  is  not,  directly  or  indirectly, 
°v*and  derives  no  other  profit  than  =v3  S.  Omitted. 
the  Congress  allows  him  for  de- 
f ray  ing  the  c.rj)c?ises,  to  wit,  5 
per  cent,  on  the  goods  purchased. 


XVI. 

CAMBRIDGE,  April  1st,  1770. 
DEAR  SIR, 

***By  the  express  which  I  sent      244  S.  In  Italics  omitted. 
to  Philadelphia  a  few  dai/s  ayo, 
I  icrote  you  a  few  hasty  lines; 
I  hare  little  time  to  do  more  now, 
as  I  am  hurried  in  despatching 


90 


one  brigade  after  another  for 
New  York,  and  preparing  for 
my  own  departure  by  pointing 
out  the  duties  of  those  that  re 
main  behind  me. 

Nothing  of  importance  has 
occurred  in  these  parts,  since  my 
last,  -unless  it  be  the  resignations 
of  Generals  Ward  and  Fry, 
and  the  reassumption  of  the 
former,  or  retraction,  on  account 
as  he  says,  of  its  being  disagree 
able  to  some  of  the  officers.  Who 
those  officers  are,  I  have  not 
heard.  I  have  not  enquired. 
When  the  application  to  Con 
gress  and  notice  of  it  to  me  came 
to  hand,  I  was  disarmed  of  in 
terposition,  because  it  was  j)ut 
upon  the  footing  of  duty,  or  con 
science,  the  General  being  per 
suaded  that  his  health  would  not 
allow  him  to  take  that  share  of 
duty  that  his  office  required. 
The  officers  to  whom  the  resig 
nation  is  disagreeable,  have  been 
able,  no  doubt,  to  convince  him 
of  his  mistake,  and  that  his 
health  will  admit  him  to  be  alert 
and  active.  I  shall  leave  him 
till  lie  can  determine  yea  or  nay, 
to  command  in  this  quarter. 
General  Fry,  that  wonderful 
man,  has  made  a  most  wonder 
ful  hand  of  it.  His  appoint 
ment  took  place  the  \\tli  Janu 
ary  ;  he  desired  ten  days  ago 
that  his  resignation  might  take 


91 


pf'icc  (lie  llth  April.  He  has 
drawn  three  hundred  and  seven 
ty-five  dollars,  never  done  one 
day's  ditty,  scarce  been  three 
times  out  of  his  house,  discovered 
that  he  was  too  old  and  too  in 
firm  for  a  moving  camp,  but 
remembers  that  he  has  been 
young,  active,  and,  very  capable 
of  doing  wliat  is  now  out  of  his 
power  to  accomplish  ;  and  there 
fore  has  left  Congress  to  find  out 
another  man  capable  of  making, 
if  possible,  a  more  brilliant  figure 
than  he  has  done;  add  to  these 
the  departure  of  Generals  Lee 
and  Thomas,  taking  some  little 

account  of  S r  and  II , 

and  then  form  an  opinion  of  the 
G Is  of  this  army,  their  coun 
cils,  (£r. 

Your  letter  of  the  15th  ult. 
contained  a  very  unfavourable 
account  of  the  Carolinas,  but  I 
am  glad  to  find  by  the  subse 
quent  one  of  the  23d243  that  the  ~45  S.  Omitted, 
prospect  brightens,  and  that  Mr. 
Martin's  first  attempt,  ^(through  24G  S.  Omitted. 
those  universal  instruments  of 
tyranny,  the  Scotch,)  hath  met 
with  its  deserved  success.  The 
old  proverb  of  the  first  blow 
being  half  the  battle  cannot  bet 
ter  apply  than  in  these  instances, 
the  spirits  of  the  vanquished  be 
ing  depressed  in  proportion  as 
the  victors  get  elated. 

I  am  glad  to  find  my  camp 


92 


equipage  in  such  forwardness;  I 
shall  expect  to  meet  it,  and  I 
hope  you,  at  New  York,  for 
which  place  I  am  preparing  to 
set  out  on  Thursday  or  Friday 
next.  The  accounts  brought  by 
Mr.  Temple  of  the  favourable 
disposition  in  the  Ministry  to 
accommodate  matters  does  hot 
correspond  with  their  speeches 
in  Parliament ; — how  then  does 
he  account  for  their  inconsist 
ency  ?  If  the  commissioners  do 
not  come  over  with  full  and 
ample  powers  to  treat  with  Con 
gress,  I  sincerely  wish  they  may 
never  put  their  feet  on  American 
ground,  as  it  must  be  self-evident 
(in  the  other  case,)  that  they 
come  oi-er247  with  insidious  in-  247  S.  "they  will. 
tentions;  to  distract,  divide,  and 
create  as  much  confusion  as  pos 
sible  j  how  then  can  any  man, 
let  his  passion  for  reconciliation 
be  never***  so  strong,  be  so 
blinded  and  misled,  as  to  em 
brace  a  measure  evidently  de 
signed  for  his  destruction  ?  No 
man  does,  no  man  can  wish  the 
restoration  of  peace  more  fer 
vently  than  I  do,  but  I  hope, 
whenever  made,  it  will  be  upon 
such  terms  as  will  reflect  honour 
upon  the  councils  and  wisdom 
of  America.  With  you,  I  think 
a  change  in  the  American  repre 
sentation  necessary ;  frequent 
appeals  to  the  people  can  be 


93 


attended  with  no  bad,  but  may 
have  very  salutary  effects.  My 
countrymen,  I  know  from  their 
form  of  government  and  steady 
attachment  heretofore  to  royalty, 
will  come  reluctantly  into  the 
idea  of  independency,  but  time 
and  perscc-ution  brings  many 
wonderful  things  to  pass  •  and 
by  private  letters  which  I  have 
lately  received  from  Virginia,  I 
find  "Common  Sense"  is  work 
ing  a  powerful  change  there  in 
the  minds  of  many  men. 

The  four  thousand  men  de 
stined  for  Boston  on  the  5th,  if 
the  ministerialists  had  attempted 
our  works  on  Dorchester ,249  or  the 
lines  at  Roxbury,  were  to  have 
been  headed  by  Old  Puf*n* 
But  he  would  have  had  pretty 
easy  work  of  it,  as  his  motions 
were  to  have  been  regulated  by 
signals,  and  those  signals  from"51 
appearances.  He  was  not  to 
have  made  the  attempt  unless 
the  town  had  been  drained,  or 
very  considerably  weakened  of-5'2 
its  force. 

253 1  believe  1  mentioned  in  my 
Idxt  to  yon,  that  all  those  wlio 
took  upon  themselves  the  style  and 
titlf*.  (in  Boston)  of  government' s 
mat,  /i ace  shipped  themselves  off 


249  S.  "Dorchester  Heights." 

250  S.  "General  Putnam." 

251  S.  "by." 

259  S.  "of." 

253  S.  The  rest  of  this  letter 
omitted;  similar  language  being 
found  in  a  letter  to  John  Augus 
tine  Washington,  written  the 
day  before. 


*  It  is  printed  "Old  Put"  in  my  book,  as  a  quotation.  Hence  it  has 
been  assumed  that  Washington  so  used  it.  On  reference  now,  however,  to 
the  original,  I  find  it  is  written  "headed  by  Old  Put,"  without  the  quotation 


94 


•in  the  same  hurry,  but  under 
greater  disadvantages  than  the 
Kings  (I  think  it  idle  to  keep 
up  the  distinction  of  minister iaT) 
troops  have  done,  being  obliged 
in  a  manner,  to  man  their  own 
vessels;  seamen  not  being  to  be 
had  for  the  King's  transports, 
and  submit  to  all  the  hardships 
that  can  be  conceived.  One  or 
two  of  them  have  committed  what 
it  would  have  been  happy  for 
mankind  if  more  of  them  had 
done,  long  ago ;  the  act  of  sui 
cide.  By  all  accounts  a  more 
miserable  set  of  beings  docs  not 
exist  than  these;  taught  to  believe 
that  the  power  of  Great  Britain 
was  almost  omnipotent,  and  if 
it  was  not,  that  foreign  aid  was 
at  hand,  they  were  higher  and 
more  insulting  in  their  opposition 
than  the  regulars  themselves. 
When  the  order  issued  therefore 
for  embarking  the  troops  in  Bos 
ton,  no  electric  shock,  no  sudden 
flash  of  lightning,  in  a  word,  not 
even  the  last  trump,  could  have 
struck  them  with  greater  conster 
nation;  they  were  at  their  wit's 
end,  and  conscious  of  their  black 
ingratitude,  chose  to  commit  them 
selves  in  the  manner  before  de 
scribed,  to  the  mercy  of  the  winds 
and  waves  in  a  tempestuous  sea 
son,  rather  than  meet  their  of 
fended  countrymen;  and  with 
this  declaration  I  am  told  they 


95 


have  done  it,  that  if  they  could 
have  thought  that  the  most  abject 
submission  would  have  procured 
peace  for  them,  they  would  have 
humbled  themselves  in  the  dust, 
and  kissed  the  rod  that  should 
be  held  out  for  chastisement. 
Unhappy  wretches !  Deluded 
mortals  !  Would  it  not  be  good 
policy  to  grant  a  generous  am 
nesty,  and  conquer  these  people 
by  a  generous  forgiveness?*  I 
am,  with  Mrs.  Washington' s  com 
pliments  joined  with  my  own  to 
Mrs.  Reed,  dear  sir, 

Your  sincere  and  affectionate 
friend  and  servant, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 

P.  S.  I  have  this  instant  re 
ceived  an  express  from  Governor 
Coohc,  informing  me  that  a  man 
of  war  is  just  arrived  in  the 
harbour  at  New  Port,  and  that 
twenty-seven  sail  of  vessels  (sup 
posed  to  be  part  of  the  Jleet  from 
Boston}  arc  within  Secenet  Point. 
I  have  ordered  General  Sulli 
van's  brigade,  which  marched 
from  hence  on  Friday  afternoon, 
to  file  off  immediately  for  Provi 
dence,  and  General  Greene's, 


*  This  sentence,  "Would  it  not  be  good  policy  to  grant  a  generous 
amnesty,  and  conquer  these  people  by  a  generous  forgiveness?"  and  the 
parenthetical  phrase,  in  which  Washington  says  it  is  idle  longer  to  make  :i 
distinction  between  royal  and  ministerial  troops,  are  not  to  be  found  in  the 
letter  to  John  Augustine  Washington.  They  are,  it  seems  to  me,  worth 
preserving,  for  one  of  them  certainly  very  much  qualifies  the  bitterness  of 
Washington's  tone  towards  the  Loyalists. 


96 


which  ic as  to  begin  its  march 
to-day,  to  repair  immediately  to 
that  place.  G.  W. 


XVII. 


NEW  YORK,  April  15,  1776.* 
DEAR  SIR, 

Your  favour  of  the  13th  was 
this  lust,  put  into  my  hands — 
scarce  time254  enough  to  acknow 
ledge  the  receipt  of  it  (by  this 
Post),  and  to  thank  you  for  your 
great  care  and  attention  in  pro 
viding  my  Camp  Equipage — 
^whatever  the  list  you  sent  may 
fall  short  of  your  intention  of 
providing,  can  be  got  here;  and, 
may  be  delayed;  as  the  u-ant  or 
not  of  them,  will  depend  upon 
circumstances. 

I  am  exceedingly  concerned 
to  hear  of  the  divisions  and 
Parties  which  prevail  with  you, 
and  in  the  Southern  Colonies  on 
the  score  of  Independence,  &c. 
— these  are  the  shelves  we  have 
to  avoid  or  our  Bark  will  split 
and  tumble  to  pieces — here  lays 
our  great  danger,  and  I  almost 
tremble  when  I  think  of  this 
rock — nothing  but  a  disunion 
can  hurt  our  cause — this  will 
ruin  it,  if  great  prudence,  tem- 


51  S.  u  scarcely  in  time/' 


S.  Passage  in  Italics  omitted. 


*  Of  this  letter  I  printed  but  a  part  in  my  Memoir,  vol.  i.  p.  189.     It 
ill  be  found  in  Mr.  Sparks's  work,  vol.  iii.  p.  357.     I  have  the  original. 


97 


per  and  moderation  is258  not 
mixed  in  our  councils  and  made 
the  governing  principles  of  the 
contending  parties. 

When,  my  good  sir,  will  you 
be  with  me?  I  fear  I  shall  have 
a  difficult  card  to  play  in  this 
Government,257  and  could  wish* 
for  your  assistance  and  advice  to 
manage  it.  I  have  not  time  to 
add  more,  except  that  with  great 
sincerity  and  truth  I  am,  Dear 
Sir, 

Yr  most  obedt  and  affect  pie 
serv* 

G°  WASHINGTON. 

T.  S.  Mrs.  Washington,  &c. 
came  the  Harford  JRoad,  and 
not  yet  arrived — detained  ly  the, 
illness  (on  the  Road)  of  poor 
Mr.  Cwtis,  who  is  now  letter 
and  coming  ow.f 


S.  "arc" — so  printed  by  me. 


257  S.  "(New  York)"    inserted 
after  government. 


S.  Postscript  omitted. 


XVIII. 


BRUNSWICK,  Novemb.  30,  1776.J 
DEAR  SIR, 

The  enclosed  was  put  into  my 
hands  by  an  express  from  the259 
White  Plains.  Having  no  idea 


259  S.  "the"  omitted. 


*  Printed  by  me  "wish." 

f  Here,  the  series  of  what  may  be  called  strictly  private  letters  ends, 
and  occasionally  what  Washington  wrote  began  to  be  recorded  in  Letter 
Books.  But  even  at  later  dates,  as  will  be  seen,  he  continued  to  write  to 
General  Reed  confidential  and  familiar  letters  which  were  not  transcribed. 

J  The  original  of  this  letter,  relating  to  the  difficulty  with  General  Lee, 
is  not  in  my  hands.     I  copied  from  Mr.  Sparks,  and  he,  I  presume,  from 
the  Letter  Book,  for  this,  I  am  informed,  is  the  first  of  the  letters  entered 
in  the  Letter  Books.     I  now  print  from  the  Letter  Book. 
7 


98 


of  its  being  a  private  letter, 
much  less  suspecting  the  tend 
ency  of  the  correspondence,  I 
opened  it,  as  I  had  done  all  let 
ters  to  you  from  the  same  place 
and  Peck's  Hill,  upon  the  busi 
ness  of  your  office,  as  I  conceived 
and  found  them  to  be.  This, 
as  it  is  the  truth,  must  be  my 
excuse,  for  seeing  the  contents 
of  a  letter  which  neither  incli 
nation,  nor  intention  would  have 
prompted  me  to.  I  thank  you 
for  the  trouble  and  fatigue  you 
have  undergone  in  your  journey 
to  Burlington,  and  sincerely 
wish  your  labours  may  be 
crowned  with  the  desired  suc 
cess.  With  best  respects  to 
Mrs.  Heed, 

I  am,  dear  sir,  &c. 

G°  WASHINGTON. 

*°P.  S.  The  Petition  referred     **>  Postscript  omitted. 
to  I  keep. 


XIX. 


CAMP  ABOVE  TRENTON  FALLS, 
2Zd  December,  1776.* 

DEAR  SIR, 

The  bearer  is  sent  down  to 
know  whether  your  plan  was 
attempted  last  night,  and  if  not, 


*  I  am  led  to  reprint  this  letter,  dated  but  two  days  before  the  battle  of 
Trenton,  the  original  being  in  my  possession,  having  been  recovered  since 
the  publication  of  Mr.  Sparks' s  work.  Mr.  Sparks  copied  it  (vol.  iv.  p. 
241)  from  Wilkinson's  Memoirs. 


99 


to  inform  you,  that  Christmas 
day  at  night,  one  hour  before 
day,  is  the  time  fixed  upon  for 
our  attempt  on  Trenton.  For 
Heaven's  sake,  keep  this  to 
yourself,  as  the  discovery  of  it 
may  prove  fatal  to  us;  our  num 
bers,  sorry  I  am™1  to  say,  being 
less  than  I  had  any  conception 
of;  but  necessity,  dire  necessity 
will,  nay  must,  justify  any2G'2  at 
tack.  Prepare,  and  in  concert 
with  Griffin,  attack  as  many  of 
their  posts  as  you  possibly  can, 
with  a  prospect  of  success ;  the 
more  we  can  attack  at  the  same 
instant,  the  more  confusion  we 
shall  spread,  and  greater™3  good 
will  result  from  it. 

If  I  had  not  been  fully  con 
vinced  before,  of  the  enemy's 
designs,  I  have  now  ample  testi 
mony  of  their  intentions  to  at 
tack  Philadelphia  so  soon  as  the 
ice  will  aiford  the  means  of  con 
veyance. 

As  the  Colonels  of  the  Conti 
nental  regiments  might  kick  up 
some  dust  about  command  un 
less  Cadwallader  is  considered 
by  them  in  the  light  of  a  Briga 
dier,  which  I  wish  him  to  be,  I 
desired  General  Gates,  who  is 
unwell  and  applied  for  leave  to 
go  to  Philadelphia,  to  endeavour, 
if  his  health  would  permit  him, 
to  call  and  stay  two  or  three 
days  at  Bristol  in  his  way.  I 


2(51  S.  "am  I;"  and  so  printed 
by  me  and  Wilkinson. 

362  S.  "an,"  and  by  me  "my," 
clearly  a  misprint. 


S.  "the  greater." 


100 


shall  not  be  particular;  we  could 
not  ripen  matters  for  our26* attack 
before  the  time  mentioned  in  the 
first  part  of  this  letter,  so  much 
out  of  sorts,  and  so  much  in  want 
(if  every  thing  are  the  troops  un 
der  Sullivan,  &c.  ^Let  me  know  SBS  S.  This  sentence  is  omitted 
by  a  careful  express  the  plan  you  by  "Wilkinson. 
are  to  pursue.  The  letter  here 
with  sent,  forward  on  to  Phila 
delphia.  I  could  wish  it  to  be 
in  time  for  the  Southern  post's 
departure,  which  will  be,  I  be 
lieve  by  eleven  o'clock  to-mor 
row.  I  am,  dear  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 
G°  WASHINGTON. 

P.  S.  I  have  ordered  our  men 
to  be  provided  with  three  day's 
provisions  ready  cooked,  with 
which  and  their  blankets,  they 
are  to  march ;  for  if  we  are  suc 
cessful,  which  Heaven  grant, 
and  the  circumstances  favour, 
we  may  push  on.  I  shall  direct 
every  ferry  and  ford  to  be  well 
guarded,  and  not  a  soul  suffered 
to  pass  without  an  officer's  going 
down  with  the  permit ;  do  the 
same  with  you. 

To  Joseph  Reed,  Esq. — or  in 
his  absence  to  Jno.  Cadwallader, 
Esq.,  only,  at  Bristol. 


101 


HEAD  QURS.  MIDDLE  BROOK,* 
May  29th,  1777. 

DEAR  SIR, 

Congress  having  empowered 
me  by  a  Resolve,  transmitted 
this  morning,  to  assign  one  of 
the  Generals,  already  appointed, 
to  the  command  of  the  Light 
Horse,  I  mean  that  you  should 
act  in  that  line,  if  agreeable  to 
yourself,  and  icishm  you,  in  such  am  S.  "I  wish.' 
case,  to  repair  to  Camp,  as  soon 
as  you  can. 

I  am,  Dr  sir,  with  great  es 
teem,  yr  most  obedt  servt, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 


XXI. 


CAMP  AT  MIDDLE  BROOK, 
June  llth,  1777. f 

DEAR  SIR, 

Your  favour  of  the  4th  was 
given  to  me  by  Jos  Arrowsmith 
just  as  Mr.  Peters  inform' d  me, 
he  was  about  to  set  out  for  Phi 
ladelphia.  I  could  not  resist 
the  inclination,  however,  of  de 
taining  him  long  enough  to 
write  you  a  short  letter,  to  thank 


*  This  letter  (except  the  signature)  is  in  the  handwriting  of  a  secretary. 
All  the  rest  now  reprinted  are  complete  Washington  autographs. 

f  Both  Mr.  Sparks  and  I  have  accidentally  misprinted  the  date  of  this 
letter.  In  the  original,  it  is  clearly  the  eleventh  and  not  the  "fourteenth" 
of  June. 


102 


you,  as  I  do  most  sincerely,  for 
the  friendly  and  affectionate  sen 
timents  contain'd  in  your's  of 
the  above  date  towards  me,  and 
to  assure  you,  that  I  am  per 
fectly  con  vine' d  of  the  sincerity 
of  them. 

True  it  is,  I  felt  myself  hurt 
by  a  certain  letter,  which  ap 
pear' d  at  that  time  to  be  the 
eccho  of  one  from  you.  I  was 
hurt,  not  because  I  thought  my 
judgment  wrong' d  by  the  ex 
pressions  contain'd  in  it,  but 
because  the  same  sentiments 
were  not  communicated  imme 
diately  to  myself.  The  favour 
able  manner  in  which  your 
opinion  upon  all  occasions,  had 
been  received  —  the  impression 
they  made — and  the  unreserved 
manner  in  which  I  wished,  and 
required  them  to  be  given,  en 
titled  me,  I  thought,  to  your 
advice  upon  any  point  in  which 
I  appeared  to  be  wanting.  To 
meet  with  anything,  then,  that 
carried  with  it  a  complexion  of 
withholding  that  ad  vice  from  me, 
and  censuring  my  conduct  to  an 
other,  was  such  an  argument  of 
disingenuity,  that  I  was  not  a 
little  mortified  at  it.  However, 
I  am  perfectly  satisfied  that  mat 
ters  were  not  as  they  appeared 
from  the  letter  alluded  to. 

I  sincerely  wish  that  you  may 
accept  the  appointment  of  Con- 


103 


gress,  and  the  post  I  am  desirous 
of  placing  you  in,  and  must  beg 
to  be  favour' d  with  an  answer 
immediately  upon  the  subject, 
as  the  service  will  not  admit  of 
delay.  A  general  officer  in  that 
department  would  not  only  take 
of  a  great  deal  of  trouble  from 
me,  but  be  a  means  of  bringing 
those  regiments  into  order  and 
service  with  much  more  facility 
than  it  is  in  my  power,  divided 
as  my  attention  is,  can  possibly 
do.*  Mr.  Peter's  waiting  obliges 
me  to  conclude,  and  I  do  it  with 
great  truth. 

Dear  sir,  your  obedient  and 
affectionate  servant, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 


XXII. 

VALLEY-FORGE,  June  15th,  1778. f 
DEAR  SIR, 

I  thank  you  very™7  much  for  267  S.  "very"  omitted, 
your  friendly  favor  of  this  date, 
and  your  polite  attention  in  sub 
mitting  the  draught  of  your  let 
ter  to  Gov.  Johnston  to  my  pe 
rusal — I  return  it  again,  but 
before  you  transcribe  a  fair  copy, 
I  would  wish  to  see  you  upon 
the  subject  of  it — perhaps  there 


*  "Possibly  to  do;"  and  so  printed  by  Mr.  Sparks. 
f  This  letter  was  not  published  in  my  Memoir.     The  original  manuscript 
is  in  my  possession.     It  is  not  in  the  Letter  Books. 


104 


are  some  parts  of  it  which  might 
receive  a  small  alteration — In 
the  present  situation  of  things 
all  correspondence  of  this  nature 
must,  and  will  be  weighed  and 
scanned  with  a  scrupulous  ex 
actness;  and  even  compliment, 
if  carried  far,  may  not  pass  en 
tirely  uncensured. 

There  is  another  consideration 
with  me.368  Congress  perhaps 
at  this  instant  are  deliberating 
on  269«?i  answer  to  give  the  Com 
missioners  to  an  address  they 
have  received  from  them.  Should 
37°a  letter  therefore  from  a  Mem 
ber  (in  which  light  you  will  be 
considered)271  hold  out  senti 
ments  different  from  theirs,27'2 
an  unfavourable  use  will  doubt 
less273  be  made  of  it.  I  am  dear 
sir,  &c. 

To  General  Reed,  at  Major 
Henry's, 


368  S.  "consideration  which 
weighs." 

269  S.  "  on  an  answer  to  the  ad 
dress  which  they  have  received 
from  the  commissioners." 

270  S.  "  Should  your  letter  there 
fore  considered  as  coming  from 
a  member  contain." 

271  S.  "  (in  which  light  you  will 
be  considered)"  omitted. 

1372  S.  "repugnant  to." 

273  S.  "more  than  probably." 


XXIII. 


FREDERICKSBURG,  21*in  the  State  of 
New  York,  Novr.  27,  '78.* 

DEAR  SIR, 

I  am  upon  the  eve  of  my  de 
parture  for  Winter  Quarters,  but 
shall  not  quit  my  present  roof 


2~*  S.  Omitted. 


*  Of  this  letter  I  printed  but  a  portion  at  p.  141,  vol.  ii.,  and  in  that 
probably  followed  Mr.  Sparks's  text  as  a  matter  of  convenience,  for  I  find 
his  variations  from  the  MS.  all  copied  by  me.  This  letter  is  not  recorded 
in  the  Letter  Books. 


105 


until  I  acknowledge,  and  thank 
you  for  your  obliging  favor  of 
the  25th  ult, 

Unless  the  officer  who  com 
manded  the  dispersed  Dragoons 
of  Baylor's  Regiment  was  di 
rected  by  Mr.  Caldwell  to  Tren 
ton,  he  was  not  only  guilty  of 
an  unpardonable  piece  of  indis 
cretion,  but  disobedience  of  or 
ders;  fur**3  he  was  instructed  to  375  S.  "as.5 
collect  the  scattered  remains  of 
that  Rcgimt  and  repair  with 
them,  to  such  place  (out  of  the 
common  rout  of  the  waggons) 
as  the  Quarter  mr.  should  direct 
— I  have  ordered  an  enquiry 
into  his  conduct  on  this*1*  occa- 


276  S.  "that," 


sion. 

Tt  is  most  devoutly  to  be 
wished  that  some  happy  expe 
dient  could  be  hit  upon  to  re 
store  credit  to  our  paper  emis 
sions;  and  punish  the  infamous 
practice  of  forestalling  —  and 
fhe277  engrossing  such  articles  as 
are  essentially  necessary  to  the 
very  existence  of  the  army — and 
which  1y  these  practices,27*  comes 
to  it  thro'  the  hands  of  these 
people  at  50  p.  ct.  advance,  to 
the  great  injury  and  deprecia 
tion  of  our  money,  by  accumu 
lating  the  quantum,  necessary 
for  ordinary  purposes  to  an  enor 
mous279  sum,  which  must  end  in 
a  total  stagnation  of  all  pur- 


2:7  S.  "the"  omitted;  so  by  me. 


378  S.  "this    means;' 
printed  by  me. 


and    so 


270  S.  "amazing;' 
ed  by  me. 


and  so  print- 


106 


chases,  unless  some  remedy  can 
be  soon,  and  effectually,  applied. 

It  is  also  most  devoutly  to  be 
wished  that  faction  was  at  an 
end,  and  that  those  to  whom 
everything  dear  and  valuable  is 
entrusted,  would  lay  aside  party 
views,  and  return  to  first  prin 
ciples. — Happy — happy — thrice 

happy  country,  if  such  was380 the      28°  S.  "were;"   so  by  me. 
government  of  it. — But  alas !  we 
are  not  to  expect  that  the  path 

will  le®1  strewed  with  flowers —      asl  S.  "is  to  be;"  so  by  me. 
That  great  and  good  Being  who 
rules  the  Universe  has  disposed 
matters  otherwise  and  for  wise 
purposes,  I  am  persuaded. 

As  my  letter  to  Congress  of 

this  date   has   carried'2**  a  full      ^  S.  "given;"   so  by  me. 
ace*  of  the  Cantonment  of  the 
Troops,   and   other    matters    of 
public    concerning    I   have   no 

need  to  repeat  them233  to  you  as  2S3  S.  "it;"  so  by  me. 
an  individual  member. — The 
conduct  of  the  enemy  at  New 
York  and  Rhode  Island  is  too 
misterious  to  be  accounted  for 
by  any  rule  of  common  sense — 
The  Transports  containing  their 
second  Imbarkation  still  remain 
in  the  harbour — for  what  pur 
pose  is284  not  easy  to  conjecture.  2S4  S.  "it  is;"  so  by  me. 

I  shall  hope,  when  the  army 
gets  a  little  settled  in  Winter 
Quarters  that  the  comee  of  ar 
rangement  will  perfect  the  good 

work  they  begun*85  in  the  Sum-      as5  S.  "began;"  so  by  me. 
mer,  and  draw  order  from  the 


107 


Chaos  we  have  been  in   for  a 
long  time  past. — 

It  is  eleven  o'clock  at  night, 
and  I  am  to  set  out  early  in  the 
morning,  for  which  reasons  I 
shall  only  add  my  thanks  for 
the  favourable  sentiments  you 
arc  pleased  to  entertain  for,  and 
have  expressed®6  for  me. — But 
in  a  more  especial  manner,  for 
your  good  wishes  and  prayers. — 
With  sincere  regard?**  and  affec 
tion — and  with  compliments  to 
Mrs.  Reed, 

I  am,  Dr  Sir, 

Yr  most  Obedt  and  Obliged 
G°  WASHINGTON. 


S.  Omitted;  and  by  me. 


esteem;"  and  so  by  me. 


XXIV. 


MIDDLE  BROOK,  Dec.  12, 1778.* 
DEAR  SIR, 

Your  favour  of  the  7th  inst., 
by  Mr.  Laurens,  came  to  my 
hands  a  day  or  two  ago,  pre- 
vious233  to  which  I  should  have 
done  myself  the  pleasure  of  con 
gratulating  you  (which  I  now 
do  very  sincerely)  on  your  late 
election  to  the  government  of 
Pennsylvania,  had  not  Sir  Har 
ry 'sf  late™  extra  manoeuvre  up 
the  North-River  kept  me  upon 
the  march  and  countermarch 
from  the  5th  till  yesterday; 


S.  "previously." 


289  S.  "late"  omitted. 


*  This  letter  is  in  the  Letter  Books. 


t   "  Sir  Henry's. 


108 


when  I  arrived  at  these,  my 
quarters  for  the  winter,  and 
employed  too  much  of  my  at 
tention  290to  investigate  his  de 
signs,  to  indulge  in  more  agrec- 
alle  amusements. 

What  did  or  could  prompt 
the  Knight  to  this  expedition, 
291  is  beyond  the  reach  of  my  con 
ception,  considering  the  unsea- 
sonableness  of  it.  Three  things 
only  appeared  to  me  probable  : 
a  rescue  of  the  Convention 
troops,  a  stroke  at  the  rear  of 
our  army,  or  a  surprise  of  the 
posts  in  the  Highlands.  The 
two  first  I  had  seen  perfectly 
out  of  his  reach  before  I  left  the 
North-Paver;  and  not  conceiving 
that  he  could  miss  it  so  much 
in  point  of  intelligence  as  to 
mistime  matters  so  egregiously, 
(if  either  of  the  oilier  two292  was 
his  object,)  it  followed,  of  conse 
quence,  that  the  last  must  be 
his  aim;  and  though  I  had  left 
them,*  as  I  thought,  in  a  state 
of  security,  and  in  the  hands  of 
a  good  officer — McDougall,  I 
could  not  help  being  uneasy  lest 
some20'3  disaster  might  befall 
them30* — andf  posted  back  from 
Elizabethtown  on  the  morning29'3 
of  the  5th,  and  got  within  twelve 
or  fifteen  miles  of  King's  Ferry, 
when  I  was  met  by  an  express 


290  S.  "for  investigating  his  de 
signs  to  allow  me  to  indulge,"  &c. 


291  S.  "I  am  at  a  loss  to  dis 
cover." 


292  S.  "two  first," 


293  S.  "a  disaster." 

294  S.  "  might  happen." 

295  S.  "at   four   o'clock  of  the 
morning." 


*  "Him.'' 


f  Printed  "I." 


109 


informing  me  that  the  enemy 
had  landed  at  that  place,  *mset 
fire  to  tico  small  log 'd  houses, 
nine  barrels  of  spoiled 
and  had  set  sail  for 
New-York* 

Thus  ended  this  notable  expe 
dition,  which  was  conducted  (in 
the  preparation)  with  so  much 
secrecy,  that  all  the  flag-boats  to 
and  from  the  city  were  stopped, 
and  not  a  mouse  permitted  to 
creep  within  their  lines.  The 
only  bad  consequence  we  have 
felt  from  it,  (and,  as  the  weather 
has  turned  out,  not  a  trifling 
one,)  is  that  it  has  delayed  the 
Virginia,  Maryland,  and  Penn 
sylvania  troops  four  days  in 
hutting,  and  has  occasioned  them 
to  inarch  through  snow  and  bad 
roads  to  come  at  their  ground, 
instead  of  having  sunshine  and 
good  ones,  which  was  the  case 
before  the  storm  on  Thursday 
last. 

It  gives  me  very  sincere  plea 
sure  to  find  that  there  is  likely 
to  be  a  coalition" of  the  Whigs 
in  your  State,  (a  few  only  ex- 
cepted,)  and  that  the  Assembly 
of  it  arc397  so  well  disposed  to 
second  your  endeavours  in  bring 
ing  those  murderers  of  our  cause 
— the  monopolizers,  forestallers, 
and  engrossers  to  condign  pun- 


296  S.  "  burned  two  or  three  log 
houses  with  nine  barrels  of  spoilt 
herrings,  and  had  re-embarked 
and  sailed  for  New  York  again." 


397  S.  "of  it"   omitted-— "are" 
printed  "is." 


*  So,  literally,  in  the  original,  though  Mr.  Sparks  in  his  first  pamphlet 
expresses  some  doubt  as  to  the  accuracy  of  my  text. 


110 


ishment.  It  is  much  to  be  la 
mented  that  each  State,  long  ere 
this,  has  not  hunted  them  down 
as  the293  pests  of  society,  and  the 
greatest  enemies  we  have  to  the 
happiness  of  America.  I  would 
to  God  that  one299  of  the  most 
atrocious  in  each  State  was  hung 
in  gibbets  upon  a  gallows  five 
times  as  high  as  the  one  pre 
pared  by  Haman.  No  punish 
ment,  in  my  opinion,  is  too 
great  for  the  man  who  can 
"  build  his  greatness  upon  his 
country's  ruin/' 

General  Lee's  publication  in 
Dunlap's  Gazette  of  the  3rd  inst., 
(and  I  have  seen  no  other,)  puts 
me  in  a  disagreeable  situation. 
I  have  neither  leisure  nor  incli 
nation  to  enter  the  lists  with 
him  in  a  newspaper :  and  so  far 
as  his  production  points  to  per 
sonality,  I  can  and  do  from  my 
inmost  soul  despise  it;  but  when 
he  has  most  barefacedly  misre 
presented  facts  in  some  places, 
and  thrown  out  insinuations  in 
others  that  have  not  the  smallest 
foundation  in  truth,  not  to  at 
tempt  a  refutation  is  a  tacit  ac 
knowledgment  of  the  justice  of 
his  assertions;  for  though  there 
are  thousands  who  know  how 
unsupported  his  piece  is,  there 
are  yet  tens  of  thousands  that 
know  nothing  of  the  matter,  and 
will  be  led  naturally  to  con- 


298  S.  "the"  omitted 


209  S.  "some  one 


Ill 


elude™  that  bold  and  confident 
assertions,  uncontradicted,  must 
be  founded  in  truth. 

It  became  a  part  of  General 
Lee's  plan,  from  the  moment  of 
his  arrest,  (though  it  was  an 
event  solicited  by  himself,)  to 
have  the  world  believe  that  he 
was  a  persecuted  man,  and  that 
party  was  at  the  bottom  of  it. 
But  however  convenient  it  may 
have  been*  for  his  purpose  to 
establish  this  doctrine,301  I  defy 
him  or  his  most  zealous  partisans 
to  adduce  a  singlef  instance  in 
proof  of  it,  unless  bringing  him 
to  tryal  at  his  own  request  is 
considered  in  this  light. 

I  can  do  more;  I  will  defy 
any  personj  out  of  my  own 
family  to  say  that  I  have  ever 
mentioned  his  name  after  his 
tryal  commenced,  if  it  was  to 
be  avoided ;  and  when  it  was*02 
not,  if  I  have  not  studiously 
declined  expressing  any  senti 
ment  of  him  or  of  his  behaviour. 
How  far  this  conduct  accords 
with  his,  let  his  own  breast  de 
cide.  If  he  conceives  that  I 
was  opposed  to  him  because  he 
found  himself  disposed  to  enter 
into  a  party  against  me — if  he 
thought  I  stood  in  his  road  to 
preferment,  and  therefore  that 
it  was  convenient  to  lessen  me 


300  S.  " believe/ 


301  S.  "belief.5 


303  S.  "it  was"  omitted. 


It  may  have  been"  omitted. 
Man." 


f  Printed  by  me  "simple." 


112 


in  the  esteem  of  my  countrymen, 

in  order  to  pave  the  way  for  his 

own  advancement — I  have  only 

to  observe,  that  as  I  never  en 
tertained  any  jealousy  of,  or 

apprehension   /rom303    him,    so      303  S.  "  apprehension  from" 

neither   did   I   ever*  do   more      omitted. 

than    common    civility   and    a 

proper  respect  to  his  rank  re 
quired,  to  conciliate  his  good 

opinion.     His  temper  and  plans 

were  too  versatile  and  violent  to 

attract  my  admiration ;  and  that 

I  have  escaped  the  venom  of  his 

tongue  and  pen  so  long,  is  more 

to  be  wondered  at  than  applaud 
ed;  as  it  is  a  favour  tJiaf**  no  304  S.  "of  which." 

officer   under  whose  immediate 

command   he   ever   served  has 

the  happiness  (if  happiness  can 
be  thus  denominated)  of  boast 
ing. 

Were  I  to  give  in  to  private 
conveniency  and  amusement,  I 
should  not  be  able  to  resist  the 
invitations  of  my  friends  to 
make  Philadelphia  (instead  of  a 
squeezed  up  room  or  two)  my 
quarters  for  the  winter.  But 
the  affairs  of  the  army  requires  a 
constant  attention  and  presence, 
and  circumstanced  as  matters  are 
at  this  juncture305  calls  for  some  305  S.  "time." 
degree  of  care  and  address  to 
keep  it  from  crumbling.  As 
peace  and  retirement  are  my 


'Ever"  omitted. 


113 


ultimate  aim,  and  the  most 
pleasing  and  flattering  wisJi305  of 
my  soul,  everything  advancive307 
of  this  end  contributes  to  my 
satisfaction,  however  difficult  and 
inconvenient  in  the  attainment, 
and  will  reconcile  any  place  and 
all  circumstances  to  my  feelings, 
whilst  I  remain*08  in  service. 

The  officers  of  the  army  must 
be  grateful  for  your  endeavours 
to  serve  them;  and  those  of  your 
own  State  will,  I  trust,  feel  the 
salutary  effects  of  your  exertions 
in  their  favour.  They  really 
merit  it,  and  resignation  must 
cease  to  be  wonderful,  when  it 
is  a  fact  too  notorious  to  be  de 
nied  that  officers  cannot  live  in 
the  army  under  present  circum 
stances,  whilst  they  see  others 
enriching  themselves  by  an  in 
finity  of  ways.  These  are  severe 
tests  of  public  virtue,  and  should 
not  in  point  of  policy  be  pushed 
too  far. 

With  sincere  regard  and  affec 
tion,  and  with  compliments  to 
Mrs.  Reed,  I  am,  dear  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  friend 
and  servant, 

G°  WASHINGTON.* 


58  S.  "hope." 
307  S.  "promotive." 


308  S.  "continue." 


*  The  above  letter — at  least  so  I  am  informed  by  a  friend  who  has 
examined  the  records  in  the  Department  of  State  at  Washington — is  the 
first  of  my  manuscript  collection  which  is  to  be  found  in  the  Letter  Books. 
I  presume  Mr.  Sparks  printed  from  the  Letter  Books,  and  this  was  probably 
not  among  the  copies  I  sent  him.  The  text  of  the  original  and  the  Letter 
Book  certainly  do  not  agree  literally. 
8 


114 


XXV. 

MIDDLEBROOK,  Mar.  28,  1779.* 

DEAR  SIR, 

The  enemy  have  some  enter- 
prize  in  view. — New  London,  on 
account  of  the  Frigates  in  the 
river,  and  because  boats  have 
been  preparing  at  the  East  end 
of  Long  Island,  and  Troops  for 
some  time  past  drawing  thither 
ward,  is  supposed  to  be  the  ob 
ject. — Probably  it  is  so — but  as 
the  season  is  now  approaching 
when  either  negociation,  or  vig 
orous  exertions  must  take  place; 

and  General  Clinton509  doubtless  SOB  S.  "  must  take  the  place  of 
will,  in  the  latter  case,  and  in  inactivity,  and  as  General  Clin- 
pursuance  of  the  predatory  plan  ton." 
talked  of  (by  the  minority  and 
not  disavowed  by  administration) 
attempt  something  that  will  give 
eclat  to  his  arms.  I  should  not 
be  much  surprized  if  some  vig 
orous  efforts  were  used  against 
Annapolis,  Baltimore,  or  even 
Phila  itself. — I  do  not  mean 
with  a  view  to  hold  either  of 
these  places  but  to  plunder  or 
destroy  them — General  Clinton 
(under  pretence  of  visiting  the 
Troops)  is  now  at  the  East  end 
of  Long  Island  with  Sir  Wm. 
Erskine — Admiral  Gambier  is 
gone  to  Rhode  Island — and  one 


*  But  a  part  of  this  letter  was  published  by  me,  vol.  ii.  p.  72.     This 
letter  is,  I  believe,  not  in  the  Letter  Book. 


115 


of  my  most  intelligent  corre 
spondents  informs  me  it310  is 
surmised  that  the  Troops  at  that 
place  are  to  be  withdrawn  — 
Transports  with  provisions  have 
gone  from  New  York  towards^1 
Rhode  Island — and  a  number  of 
Privateers  have  been  detained 
from  their  cruises  and  sent  along 
with  them — Upon  the  whole,  I 
cannot  help  suspecting  that  the 
preparations  have  been  too  long 
making — too  formidable  —  and 
too  open  for  any  enterprize 
against  New  London  •  /or312 
which  place  the  fears  of  the 
people  are  up  ;313  and  as  we 
cannot  tell  where  it  may  fall, 
we  should,  as  far  as  human  pru 
dence,  and  the  means  in  our 
hands  will  enable  us,  be. guarded 
at  all  points — The  sole  purpose 
therefore  of  this  letter  is  to 
suggest  to314  your  consideration 
the  expediency  of  adopting,  in 
time,  some  general  plan  (with 
out  taking  notice  of  the  present 
suggestion,  thereby  creating, 
probably  unnecessary  fears)  for 
giving  an  alarm  to  the  Militia 
of  the  country,  and  for  fixing*15 
places  of  rendezvous  for  them, 
that  in  cases  of  sudden  emerg 
ency  they  may  be  quickly  assem 
bled316  free  from  tumult  or  dis 
order;  for  be  assured  if  any 
thing  is  attempted  against  the 


S.  "that  it.' 


S.  "to." 


S.  "concerning.3 


313  S.  "awake." 


S.  "for." 


S.  "fixing  on." 


S.  "may  quickly  assemble." 


116 

City*  of  Phil51,  the  preparations 
for  it  will  be  hid™  under  the      3<7  S. 
darkest  veil — and  the  movement 
when  the  plan  is  ripe  for  execu 
tion,  will  be  rapid. 

As  my  motive  to  this  sugges 
tion  is  good  I  will  offer  no 
apology  for  the  freedom,  but 
assure  you  that  I  am  with  great 
respect, 

Dr  sir,  yr  most  obed.  servant, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 
His  Excelly, 

Joseph  Reed,  Esqr,  Presid*. 


XXVI. 


HEAD-QUARTERS,  MIDDLE  BROOK, 
May  Stk,  1770. 

DEAR  SIR, 

I  have  delayed  acknowledging 
the  receipt  of  your  favour  of  the 
1st,  in  expectation  that  it  would 
soon  be  followed  by  an  official 
one  which  would  enable  me  to 
take  final  measures  on  the  sub 
ject  of  the  trial. 

The  explanation  with  which 
you  have  obliged  me  gives  me 
pleasure  in  the  same  proportion 
as  the  disagreeable  inferences  I 
had  drawn  gave  me  pain.  It 
wounds  me  sensibly  to  see  ap 
pearances  of  anyf  distrust  of  my 
equal  attention  to  the  security 


"The  City  of"  omitted  by  me.  f  "  Any"  omitted  by  me. 


117 


and  welfare  of  the  different 
States;  and3™  my  ardent  desire 
to  cultivate  mutual  confidence 
and  harmony  with  every  one, 
will  always  make  me  glad  to 
find  any  apprehensions  I  may 
entertain  on  this  delicate  sub 
ject*  unfounded™ 

I  am  also  happy  to  find  it?** 
your  opinion  that  the  footing  on 
which  General  Arnold's  trial  is 
now  put  will  be  agreeable.  If 
the  Council  think  the  needful 
testimony  can  be  ready  by  the 
1st  of  June,  it  will  come  on 
then.  As  I  do  not  hear  from 
them,  and  time  is  slipping  away 
fast,  I  enclose  a  letter  to  Gene 
ral  Arnold,  fixing  the  trial  at 
that  day  week;321  you  will  be 
pleased  to  have  delivered322  to 
him  in  case  it  corresponds  with 
the  sense  of  the  Council;  other 
wise  it  is  to  be  returned  to  me ; 
but  at  all  events  I  beg  you  will 
press  a  decision,  as  General 
Arnold  has  again  signified  his 
anxious  desire  to  me  that  the 
trial  may  be  brought  on,  and  as 
the  sooner  it  is,  the  more  conve 
nient  it  will  be  to  our  military 
arrangements. 

Speaking  of  witnesses,  you 
say  Congress  have  declined  ex 
ercising  any  compulsory  power 
over  their  officers  on  the  occa- 


318  S.  "and"  omitted. 


319  S.  "ill-founded." 

320  S.  "it  is." 


321  S.  "week"  omitted. 

333  S.  "which  you  will  please  to 

cause  to  be  delivered." 


*  Printed  "object"  by  me. 


118 

sion;  where  any  person3'23  in  the  323  S.  "  persons.' 
military  line  is32*  summoned,  as 
I  mentioned  in  my  letter  to  the 
Council,  it  is  my  duty  to  order 
their  attendance,  which  I  shall 
of  course  do.  With  respect  to 
these,  therefore,  the  interposi 
tion  of  Congress  would  be  un 
necessary. 

With  very  great  regard  and 
esteem,  I  am,  dear  sir, 

Yr  most  obed.  servant, 
G°  WASHINGTON.* 


WEST-POINT,  July  2Qtk,  1779.  f 

DEAR  SIR, 

I  have  a  pleasure  in  acknow 
ledging  the  receipt  of  your 
obliging  favour J  of  the  15th 
inst.,  and  in  finding,  by  it,  that 
the  author  of  the  Queries  "Po 
litical  and  Military/'  has  had 
no  great  cause  to  exult  in  the 
favourable  reception  of  them  by 
the  public. 

Without  a  clue,  I  should  have 

been  at  no  foss325  to  trace  the      325  S.  "no  great  loss." 
malevolent  writer;  but  I  have 
seen  a  history  of  the  transaction, 
and  felt  a  pleasure  mingled  with 


*  This  is  in  the  Letter  Book. 

f  There  is  an  intermediate  letter  of  20th  May,  1770,  of  which  I  have  not 
the  autograph,  and  probably  copied  from  Mr.  Sparks's  text.  There  is  one 
also  of  the  5th  July,  '79,  which  I  did  not  print.  This  letter  of  29th  July 
is  in  the  Letter  Book.  |  "Letter." 


119 


pain. 


at  the  narration.    To  stand 


well  in  the  estimation  of  one's 
country,  is  a  happiness  that  no 
rational  creature  can  be  insensi 
ble    of.     To  be   pursued,   first, 
under  the  mask  of  friendship, 
and  when  disguise  would  suit  no 
longer,  as  an  open  calumniator, 
with    gross    misrepresentation, 
and  self-known*  falsehoods,  car 
ries  an  alloy  which  no  temper326 
can  bear  with  perfect  composure. 
The   motives   which    actuate 
this  gentleman  are  better  under 
stood3'27  by  himself  than  me.     If 
he  can  produce  a  single  instance 
in  which  I  have  mentioned  his 
name  (after  his  tryal  commenced) 
where  it  was  in  niy  power  to 
avoid  it,  and  when  it  was  not, 
where  I  have  done  it  withf  the 
smallest  degree  of  acrimony  or 
disrespect;  I  will  consent  that 
the  world  shall  view  niy  charac 
ter  in  as  disreputable  a  light  as 
he  wishes  to   place  it.     What 
cause  then  there  is  for  such  a 
profusion    of    venom,  as   he   is 
emitting  upon  all  occasions,  un 
less  by  an  act  of  public  duty,  in 
bringing   him    to   tryal,  at  his 
own  solicitation,  I  have    disap 
pointed  him,  and  raised  his  ire, 
or  conceiving™3  that  in  propor 
tion  as  he  can  darken  the  shades 
of  my  character,  he  illuminates 


325  S.  "no  mind." 


327  S.  "can  better  be  accounted 
for." 


S.  "or  he  conceives." 


Self-known"  is  Italicized  in  the  original. 


120 


his  own.  Whether  these,  I  say, 
or  motives  yefi29  more  dark  and 
hidden,330  govern  him,  I  shall 
not  undertake  to  decide,  nor 
have  I  time  to  inquire  into  them 
at  present. 

If  I  had  ever  assumed  the 
character  of  a  military  genius, 
and  (he  officer33*  of  experience, 
if,  under  these  false  colours,  I 
had  solicited  the  command  I  was 
honoured  with,  or  if,  after  my 
appointment,  I  had  presump 
tuously  driven  on  under  the 
sole  guidance  of  my  own  judg 
ment,  and  self-will,  and  misfor 
tunes,  the  result  of  obstinacy 
and  misconduct,  not  of  necessity, 
had  followed,  I  should  have 
thought  myself  a  proper  object 
for  the  lash,  not  only  of  his,  but 
the  pen  of  every  other  writer, 
and  a  fit  subject33  of  public  re 
sentment. — But  when  it  is  well 
known  that  the  command,  in  a 
manner  was  forced  upon  me — 
that  I  accepted  it  with  the  ut 
most  diffidence,  from  a  con 
sciousness  that  it  required 
greater  abilities,  and  more  ex 
perience  than  I  possessed,  to 
conduct  a  great  military  ma 
chine  embarrassed  as  I  knew 
ours  must  be,  by  a  variety  of 
complex  circumstances,  and33* 
as  it  were  but  little  better335 
than  a  mere  chaos — and  when 
nothing  more  was  promised  on 


329  S.  "still." 

330  S.  "hidden  and  dark. 


331  S.  "an  officer." 


8. 


'subject." 


S.  "object." 


334  S.  "bein< 

335    g>    U. 


more. 


121 


my  part   than   has   been  most 

inviolably  performed,  it  is  rather 

grating  to  pass  over  in  silence 

charges,  which  may  impress  the 

uninformed,   tho'    others   know 

that  these  charges  have  neither 

reason   nor    truth    to    support 

them,  and  that  a  simple™6  nar-      33G  S.  " plain  and  simple." 

rative  of  facts  would  defeat  all 

his  assertions,   notwithstanding 

they  are  made  with  an  effrontery, 

which  few  men  do,  and  for  the 

honor   of   human   nature   none 

ought,  to  possess. 

If  this  gentleman  is  envious 
of  my  station,  and  conceives™7  337  S.  "thinks." 
that  I  stand  in  his  way  to  pre 
ferment,  I  can  assure  him,  in* 
most  solemn  terms,  that  the 
first  wish  of  my  soul  is  to  re- 
turnf  to  that  peaceful  retire 
ment,  and  domestick  ease  and 
happiness  from  whence  I  came 
— To  this  end,  all  my  labours 
have  been  directed;  and  for  this 
purpose  have  I  been  more  than 
four  years  a  perfect  slave ;  en 
deavouring  under  as  many  em 
barrassing  circumstances  as  ever 
fell  to  one  man's  lot  to  encoun 
ter,  and  as  pure333  motives  as  33S  S.  "with  as  pure;"  and  by 
ever  man  was  influenced  by,  to  me. 
promote  the  cause  and  service  I 
had  embarked  in. 

You  may  form  a  pretty  good 
judgment  of  my  prospect  of  a 


*  "The  most,"  f  Printed  by  me  "retire." 


122 


brilliant  campaign,  and  the  figure 
I  shall  cut*39  in  it,  when  I  inform 
you,  that  excepting  about  400 
recruits  from  the  State  of  Mas- 
sachusets3*0  (a  portion  of  which,3*1 
I  am  told,  are  children  hired  at 
about  1500  dollars  each  for  9 
months  service)  I  have  had  no 
reinforcement  to  this  army  since 
last  campaign,  while  our  num 
bers  have  been,  and  now  are 
diminishing  daily  by  the  ex 
piring  term  of  men's  services, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  natural 
waste  by  sickness — death — and 
desertion. 

Discouraging  as  all3*2  this  is, 
I  feel  more  from  the  state  of 
our  currency,  and  the  little  at 
tention  which  hitherto  appears 
to  have  been  paid  to  our  finances, 
than  from  the  smallness  of  our 
army — and  yet  (Providence  hav 
ing  so  often  taken  us  up,  when 
bereft  of  other3*3  hope)  I  trust 
we  shall  not  fail  even  in  this. — 
The  present  temper  and  dispo 
sition  of  the  people  to  facilitate 
a  loan — to  discountenance  specu 
lation — and  to  appreciate3**  the 
money  is345  a  happy  presage  of 
resulting  good,  and  ought  to 
be  cherished  by  every  possible 
means  not  repugnant  to  good 
order  and  government. 

With  you,  I  conceive  that 
great  events  are  comprized  in 
the  next  six  months — and  wish 


339  S.  "make  in  it." 


340  S.  "Massachusetts  Bay/' 

341  S.  "whom." 


S.  "all"  omitted. 


S.  "every  other;"    and    by 


me. 


344  S.  "to  raise  the  value  of." 

345  S.  "are." 


123 


I  had  such  information  as  would 
carry  me  along  with  you  in 
opinion,  that  Spain  has  declared 
in  our  favor.  —  But  having  no 
knowledge  of  facts  to  ground 
such  a  belief  on,  I  am  apprehen 
sive  that  the  natural  sloth  of 
one  Court,  and  the  intrigues  and 
artifices  of  the  other,  will  keep 
things  in  a  state  of  negotiation 
till  the  effect  of  the  present  ex 
ertion  of  Gr.  B.7  this  campaign, 
is  known,  when,  possibly,  a  new 
scene  may  open.3iG  34G  S.  "and  some  new  scene 

The  public  are  already  pos-  open  to  our  view." 
sessed  of  the  little  military  oc 
currences  of  this  Quarter — I 
need  not  repeat  them — some 
considerable  movement  of  the 
enemy  is  in  agitation,  but  of 
what  nature — and  where  point 
ed,  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to 
discover — Lord  Cornwallis  is 
arrived,  and  a  number  of  troops 
(it  is  said)  are  hourly  expected. 

My  respectful  complimts  at 
tend  Mrs.  Reed  and  the  ladies 
of  yr  family — with  very  great 
esteem  and  regard, 

I  am,  Dr  Sir, 

Yr  most  obedt  and  affece 

Hble  Servt, 
G°  WASHINGTON. 
His  Excely, 

Joseph  Reed,  Esq. 


124 


XXVIII. 

WEST  POINT,  Augt.  lid,  '79.* 

DEAR  SIR, 

Mr.  Tilghman  delivered  me 
your  favour  of  the  8th  Inst., 
for  which  and  the  favourable 
sentiments  expressed  of  me  in 
your  publication,  addressed  to 
the  Printer  of  the  Maryland 
Journal,  you  will  permit  me  to 
offer  my  grateful  acknowledge 
ments. 

The  loss  of  Fort  Washington 
simply — abstracted  from  the  cir 
cumstances  which  attended  it, 
was  an  event  that  gave  me  much 
pain,  because  it  deprived  the 
army  of  the  services  of  many 
valuable  men  at  a  critical  period, 
and  the  public  of  many  valuable 
lives,  by  the  cruelties  which 
were  inflicted  upon  them  in 
their  captive  state. — But  this 
concern  received  additional 
poignancy  from  two  considera 
tions  which  were  but  little  known, 
and  one  of  them3*7^  never  will  347 
be  known  to  the  world,  because 
I  shall  never  attempt  to  pal 
liate  my  own  foibles?*9  by  ex-  349  S.  "faults." 
posing  the  error350  of  another,  35°  S.  "those  of." 
nor  indeed  could  either  of  them 
come  before  the  public  unless 
there  had  been  such  a  charge  as 
must  have  rendered  an  enquiry 


347  S.  "did  not  appear,  one  of 

which." 

549  S.  "attempt"  omitted. 


This  is  in  the  Letter  Book. 


•j-  Printed  by  me  "some  of  them." 


125 


into  the  causes  of  this  miscar 
riage  necessary. — The  one  was 
a  noncompliance  in  General 
Greene  with  an  order  sent  him 
from  White  Plains  before  I 
marched  for  the  western  side  of 
Hudson's  River  to  withdraw  the 
artillery,  stores,  &c.,  from  the 
Fort,  allowing  him,  however, 
some  latitude  for  the  exercise 
of  his  own  judgment  as  he  was 
upon  the  spot,  and  could  decide 
better  from  appearances  and  cir 
cumstances  than  I  the  propriety™ 
of  a  total  evacuation. — The  other 
was  a  Resolve  of  Congress  in  the 
emphatic  uwds,352 
"Friday™  Oct.  llth,  1776." 
"  Resolved,  that  General  Wash 
ington  be  desired,  if  it  be  prac- 
"  ticable,  by  every  art  and  what- 
"ever  expence  to  obstruct  effect- 
"  ually  the  navigation  of  the 
"North  River,  between  Fort 
"Washington  and  Mount  Con- 
"stitution,  as  well  to  prevent 
"the  regress  of  the  enemy's 
"Frigates  lately  gone  up,  as  to 
"hinder  them  from  receiving 
"succours." 

When  I  came  to  Fort  Lee  and 
found  no  measures  taken  /or354 
an  evacuation  in  consequence  of 
the  order  aforementioned — when 
I  found  General  Greene,  of 
whose  judgment  and  candour  I 
entertained  a  good  opinion,  de 
cidedly  opposed  to  it, — when  I 


S.  "on  the  propriety." 


352  S.  "  in    the  strong  and  em- 
phatical  words,  following."     It 
is  printed  "emphatical"  by  me. 

353  S.   "Friday"   omitted;    also 
by  me. 


S.  "towards;"  so  also  by  me. 


126 


found  other  opinions  coinciding^5 
with  his — when  the  wishes  of 
Congress  to  obstruct  the  naviga 
tion  of  the  North  River,  and356 
which  were  delivered  in  such 
forceable  terms  to  me,357  recur 
red — when  I  knew  that  the  easy 
communication  between  the  dif 
ferent  parts  of  the  army  then 
separated  by  the  river  depended 
upon  it — and  lastly  when  I  con 
sidered  that  our  policy  led  us 
to  waste  the  campaign  without 
coming  to  a  general  action  on 
the  one  hand,  or  to  suffer*53  the 
enemy  to  overrun  the  country 
on  the  other,  I  conceived  that 
every  impediment  which359  stood 
in  their  way  was  a  mean  to  an 
swer  these  purposes,  and?00  when 
thrown  into  the  scale  o/361  those 
opinions  which  were  opposed  to 
an  evacuation  caused  that  war 
fare  in  my  mind  and  hesitation 
which  ended  in  the  loss  of  the 
garrison,  and  being  repugnant 
to  my  own  judgment  of  the 
advisability352  of  attempting  to 
hold  the  Post,  filled  me  with  the 
greater  regret. 

The  two  great  causes  which 
led  to  this  misfortune  (and 
which  I  have  before  recited)  as 
well  perhaps  as  my  reasoning 
upon  it,  which  occasioned  the 
delay,  were  concealed  from  pub 
lic  view;  of  course363  left  the 
field  of  censure  quite  open  for 


355  S.  "so  coincident;"  printed 
by  me  "coincident." 

350  S.  "and"  omitted. 
357  S.  "to  me"  omitted. 


S.  "suffering;"  so  by  me. 


359  S.  "that." 


360  S.  "these." 

361  S.  "with." 


S.  "advisableness;"    so    by 


me. 


S.  "and  of  course." 


127 


384 


S.  "always"  omitted. 


S.  "thing/' 


307  S. 


any,  and  every  labourer  who  in 
clined  to  work  in  it,  and  afforded 
a  fine  theme  for  the  pen  of  a 
malignant  writer,  who  is  always364 
less  regardful  of  facts  than  the 
point  he  wants  to  establish  where 
he  has  the  field  wholly  to  him 
self,  and  where  concealment  of 
a  few  circumstances  will  answer 

Ms  purpose™5 — or  where  a  small      365  S.  "answers  his  purposes." 
transposition  of  them  will  give 
a  very  different  complexion  to 
the  same  transaction?™ 

Why  I  have  run  into  such  a 
lengthy*®1  discussion  of  this 
point — at  this  time — I  am  at  a 
loss  myself  to  tell — I  meant  but 
to  touch  it,  en  passant,  but  one 
idea  succeeded  to  another,  till  it 
would  seem  that  I  had  been 
preparing  my  defence  for  a 
regular  charge. 

My  ideas  of  what  seems  to 
be  the  only  mode  left  to  keep 
our  Battalions  to  their  estab 
lishment  or  near  it,  you  are 
already  acquainted  with,*  as 
they  were  conveyed  at  large  to 
the  Comee  at  Valley  Forge,  in 
'78. — I  have  seen  no  cause 
since  to  change  my  opinion  on 
this  head  but  abundant  reason 

to  confirm  me  in  it.3Gs     No  man      30s  S.  "confirm  it." 
dislikes  short  and  temporary  en 
listments  more  than  I  do — No 
man  everf  had  greater  cause  to 


With"  omitted. 


f  "Ever"  omitted. 


128 


reprobate  and  even  curse539  the 
fatal  policy  of  the  measure  than 
I  have — Nor370  no  man  (with 
decency)  ever  opposed  it  more 
in  the  early  part  of  this  contest; 
and  had  my  advice  respecting 
this  matter  been  pursued  in  the 
years  seventy  five  and  six,  our 
money  would  have  been  upon  a 
very  different  establishment  in 
point  of  credit  to  what  it  is  at 
this  day,371  as*  we  should  have 
saved  millions  of  pds  in  bounty 
money,  and  the  consequent  evils 
of  expiring  armies,  and  new 
levies. — But  those  hours  are 
passed  never  to  be  recalled — 
such  men  as  compose  the  bulk 
of  an  army  are  in  a  different 
train  of  thinking  and  acting372 
to  what  they  were  in  the373  early 
stages  of  the  war,  and  nothing 
is  now  left  for  i?7*  but  an  an 
nual  and  systematical  mode  of 
drafting;  which  while  we  retain 
the  stamina  of  an  army  (engaged 
for  the  war)  will  be  the  best, 
indeed375  I  see  no  other  substi 
tute,  for  voluntary  enlistments 
— In  fact  it  will  come  to  this, 
for  there  are  people  enow376  (old 
soldiers)  who  will  hire377  as  sub 
stitutes,  and  the  difference  will 
be,  that  instead373  of  the  public's 
emitting,  or  borrowing  money  to 
pay  their  bounties  (which  is  en- 


369  S.  "  and  even  curse"  omitted. 

370  S.  "Nor"  omitted. 


371  S.  "from  what  it  now  is." 


372  S.  "and  acting"  omitted. 

373  S.  "those." 

374  S.  "for  it"  omitted. 


375  S.  "indeed"  omitted. 


376  S.  "now." 

377  S.  "hire  themselves." 

379  S.  "in  lieu." 


And." 


129 


larged  greatly379  every  new  en 
listment)  these  sums380  will  be 
paid  by  individuals — will  in 
crease  the  demand  for  circu 
lating  cash — and,  as  with  all 
other  commodities  in  demand, 
raise  the  value  of  it  by  multi 
plying  the  means  of  its  use.381 

How  far  those  governments 
which  are  rent  and  weakened 
by  intestine382  divisions  have 
energy  enough  to  carry  statutes 
of  this  nature383  into  execution 
I  do  not  pretend  to  be  a  com 
petent  judge,  but  such  as  are 
well  established  and  organized, 
I  am  sure  can  do  it — Those38* 
that  are  not,  the  propriety  of 
the  measure  is  so  necessary  and 
obvious,  that  I  should  entertain 
little  doubt  of  their  success  in 
the  experiment. 

The  spunge  which  you  say 
some  gentlemen  have  talked  of 
using,  unless  there  can  be  a 
discrimination  and  proper  saving 
clauses  provided  (and  how  far 
this  is  practicable  I  know  not) 
would  be  unjust  and  impolitic 
in  the  extreme. — Perhaps,  I  do 
not  understand  what  they  mean 
by  using  the  spunge — If  it  be 
to  sink  the  money  in  the  hands 
of  the  holders  of  it,  and  at  their385 
loss,  it  cannot  in  my  opinion  be 
justified386  upon  any  principle  of 
common  policy — common  sense 
—  or  common  honesty. — But 
9 


379  S.  "the  bounties  which  in 

crease  rapidly ." 

380  S.  "bounties." 


381  S.  "for  using  it." 

383  S.  "internal." 

383  S.  "kind." 

384  S.  "As  to  those." 


385  S.  "their  own." 

386  S.  "stand  justified  upon  any 
principles." 


130 


how  far  a  man,  for  instance,  who 
has  possessed  himself  of  20 
paper  dollars  by  means  of  one, 
or  the  value  of  one,  in  specie, 
has  a  just  claim  upon  the  public 
for  more  than  one  of  the  latter 
in  redemption,  and  in  that  ratio 
according  to  the  periods  of  de 
preciation,  I  leave  to  those  who 
are  better  acquainted  with  the 
nature  of  the  subject,  and  have 
more  leizure  than  I  have  to  dis 
cuss. — To  me  a  measure  of  this 
kind  appears  substantial  justice 
to  the  public,  and  each  indi 
vidual  ;3S7  but  whether  it  is  ca 
pable  of  administration  I  have 
never  thought  enough  of  it  to 
form  any  opinion. 

388  We  have  given  the  enemy 
another  little  stroke  at  Powles- 
hook — an  acct  of  which  is  trans 
mitted  to  Congress  ~by  this  con 
veyance^  and  willj  I  presume,  be 
handed  to  the  public — in  the 
mean  while  I  have  the  pleasure 
to  inform  you  that  ab*  160  pris 
oners  and  the  colours  of  the 
Garrison  icere  brought  off. 

I  am  with  great  esteem  and 
regard, 

Dr  Sir, 

Yr  most  obed'  and  affe 
Hble  gervt, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 
His  Excelly, 

Joseph  Reed,  Esqr, 

President. 


387  S.  "to  individuals.' 


388  S.  The  passage  in  Italics 
omitted. 


131 


XXIX. 

WEST  POINT,  Oct.  22d,  1779.* 
DEAR  SIR, 

Three  days  ago,  I  received 
your  obliging  favor  of  the  14th, 
and  was  sorry  to  find  you  had 
been  so  much  indisposed. — Be 
fore  this  I  hope  you  have  per 
fectly  recovered. — Your  early 
attention  and  that  of  the  As 
sembly  to  my  requisitions  have 
my  warmest  thanks, — and  the 
more  so,  from  the  situation  in 
which  they  found  you.  I  could 
wish,  however,  that  the  three 
months  service  of  the  Militia 
had  been  made  to  commence, 
only  from  the  time  of  their 
joining  the  army. — I  need  not 
enter  into  a  detail  of  reasons  for 
this  with  you,  as  your  own 
judgment  and  experience  will, 
I  am  persuaded,  have  already 
anticipated  them.  Your  inten 
tion  of  leading  your  Militia,  in 
case  they  are  brought  to  the 
field,  is  a  circumstance  honor 
able  to  yourself  and  flattering 
to  me.  The  example  alone 
would  have  its  weight,  but  se 
conded  by  your  knowledge  of 

discipline  —  abilities,389  activity      389  S.  "your  abilities.'7 
and  bravery,  it  could  not  fail  of 
happy  effects.     Men   are  influ 
enced  greatly  by  the  conduct  of 


*  This  is  in  the  Letter  Books. 


132 

their  superiors — and  particularly 
so,  where  they  have  both  their 
confidence  and  affection. 

With  respect  to  the  point  to 
which  you  call  my  recollection — 
I  confess — when  you  intimated 
your  desire  of  Continental  rank 
to  me,  as  it  passed  cursorily 
through  my  mind — it  struck  me 
as  a  matter  of  indifference; — or 
at  least  as  one  against  which  no 
important  objections  then  oc 
curred  inasmuch  as  it  was  to 
have  no  operation  in  the  line ; 
however,  I  must  now  candidly 
acknowledge,  and  shall330  do  it  39°  S.  "I  shall.' 
without  hesitation,  from  motives 
of  general  duty — from  a  confi 
dence  in  your  friendship  as  well 
as  in  your  zeal  for  the  public 
service — and  from  the  express 
authority  of  your  letter — that 
having  maturely  weighed  the 
subject — and  examined  the  con 
sequences  to  which  it  might 
lead — I  think  it  cannot  be  ob 
tained — either  with  a  view  to 
the  purpose  you  mentioned, 
when  you  first  broached  the 
point  to  me — or  with  respect  to 
the  present  occasion  for  which 
the  Militia  are  called  out. 

The  discontents — the  jealous 
ies — the  uneasinesses  that  have 
prevailed  in  the  Army;  the  com 
plaints  which  have  been  added 
on  ace*  of  rank  being  conferred 
out  of  the  common  course,  are 


133 


all  opposed  to  the  measure. — 
These  uneasinesses,  my  dear  sir, 
tho'  not  quite  so  prevalent 
among  the  different  ranks  of 
officers  as  they  were,  are  far, 
very  far,  from  being  done  away 
— and  would,  I  fear,  proceed  to 
more  than  their  former  height 
upon  any  supposed  injury,  whe 
ther  real  or  imaginary — to  what 
they  esteemed^1  their  rights. — 
Among  the  G  eneral  Officers  and 
those  next  in  rank,  there  would 
be  much  reason  to  apprehend 
this,  as  they  (particularly  the 
former)  have  loudly  complained 
on  the  subject  of  rank  being 
given,  even  where  motives  of 
national  policy — and  indeed  ne 
cessity — were  urged  to  justify 
it,  and  reluctantly392  yielded  to 
it,  merely  from  that  considera 
tion.  From  hence,  and  as  in 
your  case  this  consideration 
could  not  be  urged — I  should 
fear  that  it  would  be  attended 
with  greater  disgust — not  from 
any  personal,  individual  objec 
tion,  but  from  an  idea  that  the 
appointment  itself  materially 
affected  their  rights  and  those 
of  the  officers  in  general.  Hence 
it  is  that  I  have  uniformly  with 
held  my  aid  to393  all  applications 
for  brevet  commissions  to  for 
eigners  and  others  who  had39*  or 
were  about  to  quit  the  service — 


391  S.  "esteem.1 


S.  "they  reluctantly." 


393  S.  "from  all." 


384  S.  "had  quitted." 


134 


professedly — never  to  interfere 
with  the  line  of  our  army. 

The  situation  of  our  officers 
is  delicate — and  perhaps  re 
quires  a  greater  degree  of  atten 
tion,  than  that  of  any  others, — 
deriving  no  emoluments  from 
the  service,  but  rather  losing  at 
the  best — patriotism  and  a  love 
of  honor  are  the  motives  to  their 
continuing  in  it.  These  must 
be  the  considerations  which  in 
fluence  the  conduct  of  by  far  the 
greatest395  part  —  and  tho'  by 
these  motives  the  officers  are 
placed  in  a  much  more  respect 
able  point  of  view  than  if  they 
were  governed  by  interest,  yet 
the  ties  are  not  sufficiently 
strong5^  to  induce  their  submis 
sion,  or  at  least  without  great 
difficulty,  to  any  measures  they 
esteem  injurious. 

For  these  several  reasons  I 
cannot  in  policy  advise  to  any 
measures  that  might  have  a 
tendency  to  obtain  it397  for  you. 
Nor  do  I  think,  after  mature 
reflection,  that  the  rank  being338 
given  by  brevet  which  is  con 
trary  to  the  present  views  of 
Congress  and  their  own  resolves 
(24th  Nov.  1778,  and  20  Feb. 
1779),  founded  on  the  discon 
tents  which  a  contrary  practice 
had  created  —  or  circumscribed 
in  its  extent  by  any  qualifica 
tions  which  could  be  thought 
of  would  alter  the  matter,  or 


S.  "  greater." 


396  S.  "are  not  so  strong.' 


397  S.  "  obtain  the  rank/' 


S.  "that  its  being  given." 


135 


produce  the  least  change  in 
the  sentiments  of  the  officers. 
In  any  case,  the  ideas  of  rank 
and  precedence  would  occur, — 
and  I  have  too  much  reason  to 
believe  would  give  great  uneasi 
ness.  The  temper  of  the  gene 
ral  officers  is  at  this  moment  a 
good  deal  soured — Their  dis 
tresses  proceeding  from  the 
amazing  depreciation  of  money 
on599  one  hand  and  a400  discrimi 
nation  of  Congress  in  the  allow 
ance  of  subsistence  on  the  other, 
needs*01  no  fresh  leaven  to  set 
their  discontents  a  working  y403 
Rank  then  being  the  greatest, 
if  not  the  only  benefit  they  are 
likely  to  derive  for  their  perse 
verance  in  service  and  injured*03 
fortunes,  they  become  more  and 
more  tenacious  of  its  value,  and 
attend  the  distribution  of  it  with 
a  watchful  eye.  I  have  been 
rather  prolix  on  this  subject, 
but  though?0*  it  incumbent  on 
me  to  assign  the  reasons  which 
govern  my  opinion,  because  I 
wish  you  to  be  convinced,  *f>5that 
I  do  not  icant  inclination  to  com 
ply  where  I  can  do  it  consistently 
with  any  of  your  wishes.  With 
very  great  esteem  and  regard, 

I  am,  Dr  Sir, 

Yr  most  obed*  and 
Affecte  Hble  gervt, 
G°  WASHINGTON. 
His  Excelly, 

Joseph  Reed,  Esq. 


399  S.  "on  the  one." 

400  S.  "the." 

401  S.  "need." 

402  S.  "at  work." 


403  S.  "in  the  service"  "and  for 
their  injured." 


S.  "but  I  thought." 


405  S.  "that  I  do  not  want  in 
clination  to  comply  with  your 
wishes,  in  any  instance  when  it 
is  within  the  reach  of  my  power 
consistently  to  aid  them." 


136 


XXX. 

MORRISTOWN,  May  28th,  1780.» 
DEAR  SIR, 

4067  am  much  obliged  to  you  *°8  S.  Omitted. 
for  your  favor  of  the  23c£. — No 
thing  could  be  more  necessary 
than  the  aid  given  by  your  State 
towards  supplying  us  with  pro 
vision. — I  assure  you  every  idea 
you  can  form  of  our  distresses 
will  fall  short  of  the  reality. — 
There  is  such  a  combination  of 
circumstances  to  exhaust  the 
patience  of  the  soldiery  that  it 
begins  at  length  to  be  worn  out 
— and  we  see  in  every  line  of 
the  army  the  most  serious  fea 
tures  of  mutiny  and  sedition. — 
All  our  departments — all  our 
operations  are  at  a  stand — and 
unless  a  system  very  different 
from  that  which  for  a  lonf"  407  S.  "  which 
time  prevailed  be  immediately  time." 
adopted  throughout  the  States, 
our  affairs  must  soon  become 
desperate — beyond  the  possi 
bility  of  recovery. 

If  you  were  on  the  spot,  my 
dear  sir,  if  you  could  see  what 
difficulties  surround  us  on  every 
side — how  unable  we  are  to  ad 
minister  to  the  most  ordinary 
calls  of  the  service — you  would 
be  convinced  that  these  expres 
sions  are  not  too  strong,  and 


has   for   a   long 


*  This  is  in  the  Letter  Book. 


137 


that  we  have  almost  ceased  to 
fiope.408 — The  country  in  gene 
ral  is  in  such  a  state  of  insensi 
bility  and  indifference  to  its 
interest*09  that  I  dare  not  flatter 
myself  with  any  change  for  the 
better. 

The  Committee  of  Congress 
in  their  late  address  to  the  seve 
ral  States  have  given  a  just 
picture  of  our  situation, — I  very 
much  doubt  its  making  the  de 
sired  impression,  and  if  it  does 
not,  I  shall  consider  our  lethargy 
as  incurable. — The  present  junc 
ture  is  so  interesting  that  if  it 
does  not  produce  correspondent 
exertions,  it  will  be  a  proof  that 
motives  of  honor,  public  good 
and  even  self-preservation  have 
lost  their  influence  upon  our 
minds. — This  is  a  decisive  mo 
ment — one  of  the  most  (I  will 
go  further  and  say  the  most) 
important  America  has  seen. — 
The  Court  of  France  has  made 
a  glorious  effort  for  our  deliver 
ance,  and,  if  we  disappoint  its 
intentions  by  our  supineness,  we 
must  become  contemptible  in 
the  eyes  of  all  mankind;  nor 
can  we,  after  that,  venture  to 
confide  that  our  allies  will  per 
sist  in  an  attempt  to  establish 
what  it  will  appear  we  want 
inclination  or  ability  to  assist 
them  in. 

Every  view  of  our  own  cir- 


403  S.  "and  that  we  have  every 
thing  to  dread.     Indeed  I  have 
almost  ceased  to  hope." 
409  S.  "interests." 


138 


413  S.  "very"  omitted. 


cumstances  ought  to  determine 
us  to  the  most  vigorous  efforts ; 
but  there  are  considerations  of 
another  kind  that  should  have 
equal  weight — The  combined 
fleets  of  France  and  Spain  last 
year  were  greatly  superior  to 
those  of  the  enemy —  The  enemy 
nevertheless™  sustained  no  ma 
terial  damage,  and  at  the  close 
of  the  campaign  have  given*1*  a  4U  S.  "gave, 
very  important  blow  to  our  al 
lies. — This  campaign  the  differ 
ence  between  the  fleets  from 
every  account  I  have  been  able 
to  collect  will  be  very*12  incon 
siderable — indeed  it  is  far  from 
clear  that  there  will  not  be  an 
equality — What  are  we  to  ex 
pect  will  be  the  case  if  there 
should  be  another  campaign  ? — 
In  all  probability  the  advantage 
will  be  on  the  side  of  the  En 
glish,  and  then  what  will  become 
of  America? — We  ought  not  to 
deceive  ourselves. — The  mara- 
time  resources  of  Great  Britain 
are  more  substantial  and  real 
than  those  of  France  and  Spain 
united. — Her  commerce  is  more 
extensive  than  that  of  both  her 
rivals;  and  it  is  an  axiom  that 
the  Nation  which  has  the  most 
extensive  commerce  will  always 
have  the  most  powerful  marine. 
Were  these  arguments  less  con 
vincing  the  fact  speaks  for  it 
self — her  progress  in  the  course 


139 


of  the  last  year  is  an  incontest- 
ible  proof. 

It  is  true  that  France  in  a 
manner  created  a  Fleet  in  a  very 
short  space,  and  this  may  mis 
lead  us  in  the  judgment  we 
form  of  her  naval  abilities.  But 
if  they  bore  any  comparison 
with  those  of  Great  Britain  how 
comes  it  to  pass  that,  with  all 
the  force  of  Spain  added,  she 
has  lost  so  much  ground  in  so 
short  a  time  as  now  to  have 
scarcely  a  superiority.  We 
should  consider  what  was  done 
by  France  as  a  violent  and  un 
natural  effort  of  the  government 
which  for  want  of  sufficient 
foundation  cannot  continue  to 
operate  proportionable  effects. 

In  modern  wars,  the  longest 
purse  must  chiefly  determine 
the  event — I  fear  that  of  the 
enemy  will  be  found  to  be  so — 
though  the  Government  is  deep 
ly  in  debt  and  of  course  poor, 
the  Nation  is  rich  and  their 
riches  afford  a  fund  which  will 
not  be  easily  exhausted. — Be 
sides,  their  system  of  public 
credit  is  such  that  it  is  capable 
of  greater  exertion  than  that  of 
any  other  nation.  Speculatists 
have  been  a  long  time  foretell 
ing  its  downfall,  but  we  see  no 
symptoms  of  the  catastrophe 
being  very  near. — I  am  per 
suaded  that  it  will  at  least  last 


140 


out  the  war,  and  then  in  the 
opinion  of  many  of  the  best 
politicians  it  will  be  a  national 
advantage. — If  the  war  should 
terminate  successfully,  the  crown 
will  have  acquired  such  influ 
ence  and  power  that  it  may  at 
tempt  anything — and  a  bank 
ruptcy  will  probably  be  made  a 
ladder  to  climb  to  absolute  au 
thority.  Administration*™  may  41S  S.  "The  administration." 
perhaps  wish  to  drive  matters  to 
this  issue — at  any  rafe  they  will 
not  be  restrained  by  an  appre 
hension  of  it  from  forcing  the 
resources  of  the  State.  It  will 
promote  their  present  purposes 
on  which  their  all  is  at  stake, 
and  it  may  pave  the  way  to 
triumph  more  effectually  over 
the  constitution.  —  With  this 
disposition,  I  have  no  doubt  that 
ample  means  will  be  found  to 
prosecute  the  war  with  the 
greatest  vigor. 

France  is  in  a  very  different 
position.  The  abilities  of  her 
present  financier  has*1*  done  414  S.  "have." 
wonders. — By  a  wise  adminis 
tration  of  the  revenues,  aided 
by  advantageous  loans,  he  has 
avoided  the  necessity  of  addi 
tional  taxes. — But  I  am  well 
informed,  if  the  war  continues 
another  campaign,  he  will  be 
obliged  to  have  recourse  to  the 
taxes  usual  in  time  of  war  which 
are  very  heavy — and  which  the 


141 


people  of  France  are  not  in  con 
dition  to  indure  for  any  dura 
tion.™ —  When  this  necessity  415  S.  "for  a  long  time." 
commences,  France  makes  war 
on  ruinous  terms;  and  England 
from  her  individual  wealth  will 
find  much  greater  facility  in 
supplying  her  exigencies. 

Spain  derives  great  wealth 
from  her  mines,  but  not  so 
great  as  is  generally  imagined. 
Of  late  years,  the  profit  to  go 
vernment  is  essentially  dimin 
ished — Commerce  and  industry 
are  the  best  means418  of  a  nation ; 
both  which  are  wanting  to  her. 
I  am  told  her  treasury  is  far 
from  being  so  well  filled  as  we 
have  flattered  ourselves — she  is 
also  much  divided  on  the  pro 
priety  of  the  war — there  is  a 
strong  party  against  it.  The 
temper  of  the  nation  is  too 
sluggish  to  admit  of  great  ex 
ertions — and  though  the  Courts 
of  the  two  Kingdoms  are  closely 
linked  together,  there  never  has 
been  in  any  of  their  wars  a  per 
fect  harmony  of  measures,  nor 
has  it  been  the  case  in  this; 
which  has  already  been  no  small 
detriment  to  the  common  cause. 

I  mention  these  things  to 
show  that  the  circumstances  of 
our  allies,  as  well  as  our  own, 
call  for  peace  ;  to  obtain  which, 
we  must  make  one  great  effort 
this  campaign. — The  present  in- 


142 


stance  of  the  friendship  of  the 
Court  of  France  is  attended 
with  every  circumstance  that 
can  render  it  important  and 
agreeable ;  that  can  interest  our 
gratitude  or  fire  our  emulation. 
If  we  do  our  duty  we  may  even 
hope  to  make  the  campaign  de 
cisive  on  tliis  Continent*1'1 — But 
we  must  do  our  duty  in  earnest 
— or  disgrace  and  ruin  will  at 
tend  us. — I  am  sincere  in  de 
claring  a  full  persuasion  that 
the  succour  will  be  fatal  to  us, 
if  our  measures  are  not  adequate 
to  the  emergency. 

Now,  my  dear  sir,  I  must  ob 
serve  to  you,  that  much  will 
depend  on  the  State  of  Pennsyl 
vania — She  has  it  in  her  power 
to  contribute  without  comparison 
more  to  our  success  than  any 
other  State;  in  the  two  essen 
tial  articles  of  flour  and  trans 
portation. — New  York,  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  are 
our  flour  countries; — Virginia 
went  little  on  this  article*19  the 
last  crop  (and  her  rescources  are 
called  for  to  the  Southward). — 
New  York,  by  Legislative  co 
ercion,  has  already  given  all  she 
could  spare  for  the  use  of  the 
army.  Her  inhabitants  are  left 
with  scarcely  a  sufficiency  for 
their  own  subsistence — Jersey, 
from  being  so  long  the  place  of 
the  army's  residence  is  equally 


417  S.  "of  this  contest.'1 


413  S.  "produced  little  of    this 
article." 


143 

exhausted. — Maryland  has  made 
great  exertions;  but  she  can  still 
do  something  more  —  Delaware 
may  contribute  handsomely  in 
proportion  to  her  extent — But 
Pennsylvania  is  our  chief  de 
pendence — From  every  informa 
tion  I  can  obtain,  she  is  at  this 
time  full  of  flour. — I  speak  to 
you  in  the  language  of  frankness 
and  as  a  friend. — I  do  not  mean 
to  make  any  insinuations  unfa 
vourable  to  the  State. — I  am 
aware  of  the  embarrassments  the 
government  labours  under  from 
the  open  opposition  of  one  party 
and  the  underhand  intrigues  of 
another. — I  know  that  with  the 
best  dispositions  to  promote  the 
public  service  you  have  been 
obliged  to  move  with  circum 
spection. — But  this  is  a  time  to 
hazard  and  to  take  a  tone  of 
energy  and  decision.  All  par 
ties  but  the  disaffected  will  ac 
quiesce  in  the  necessity  and  give 
their  support — The  hopes  and 
fears  of  the  people  at  large  may 
be  acted  upon  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  make  them  approve  and 
second  your  views. 

The™  matter  is  reduced  to  a  419  S.  "This.' 
point — either  Pennsylvania  must 
give  us  all  the  aid  we  ask  of  her, 
or  we  can  undertake  nothing. 
We  must  renounce  every  idea 
of  a  co-operation,  and  must  con 
fer  to  our  allies  that  we  look 


144 


wholly  to  them  for  our  safety— 
This  will  be  a  state  of  humilia 
tion  and  littleness  against  which 
the  feelings  of  every  good  Ame 
rican  ought  to  revolt. — Yours,  I 
am  convinced,  will. — Nor  have  I 
the  least  doubt  that  you  will  em 
ploy  all  your  influence  to  ani 
mate  the  legislature  and  the  peo 
ple  at  large. — The  fate  of  these 
States  hangs  upon  it — God  grant 
we  may  be  properly  impressed 
with  the  consequences. 

I  wish  the  legislature  could 
be  engaged  to  vest  the  executive 
with  Plenipotentiary  powers.  I 
should  then  expect  everything 
practicable  from  your  abilities 
and  zeal.  This  is  not  a  time 
for  formality  or  ceremony. — The 
crisis  in  every  point  of  view  is 
extraordinary  —  and  extraordi 
nary  expedients  are  necessary — 
I  am  decided  in  this  opinion. 

I  am  happy  to  hear  that  you 
have  a  prospect  of  complying 
with  the  requisitions  of  Congress 
for  specific  supplies — that  the 
spirit  of  the  City  and  State 
seems  to  revive  and  the  warmth 
of  party  decline.*20 — These  are 
good  omens  of  our  success — 
Perhaps  this  is  the  proper  pe 
riod  to  unite. 

I  am  obliged  to  you  for  the 
renewal  of  your  assurances  of 
personal  regard — 4Z1My  senti 
ments  for  you,  you  are  too  well 


420  S.  "to  decline." 


ac- 


421  S.  "You   are    too  well 
quainted  with  my  sentiments." 


145 

acquainted  with  to  make  it  ne 
cessary  to  tell  you  with  how 
much  esteem  and  regard  I  am, 

Dr  Sir, 

Yr  most  obedt  and  affe 
Hblo  Servt, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 

422 1  felicitate  you  on  the  in-  42"3  S.  P.  S.  omitted. 
crease  of  your  family. — Mrs. 
Washington  does  the  same}  and 
begs  her  particular  respects  and 
congratulations  to  Mrs.  Reed — 
to  -which  permit  me  to  add  mine. 


XXXI. 

HEAD  QUARTERS,  BERGEN  COUNTY, 

July  4th,  1780.* 
MY  DEAR  SIR, 

Motives  of  friendship,  not  less 
than  of  public  good,  induce  me 
with  freedom  to  give  you  my 
sentiments  on  a  matter,  which 
interests  you  personally  as  well 
as  the  good  of  the  common  cause. 
I  natter  myself  you™  will  receive  423  S.  "that  you." 
what  I  say  in  the  same  spirit 
which  dictates  it,  and  that  it 
will  have  all  the  influence  *"cir-  ^  S.  "which." 
cumstances  will  possibly  permit. 

The  Legislature  of  Pennsyl 
vania  has  vested  you  in  case  of 
necessity,  with  a  power  of  de 
claring  Martial  Law  throughout 
the  State,  to  enable  you  to  take 


*  This  is  in  the  Letter  Books. 
10 


146 

such  measures  as  the  exigency 
may  demand;  so  far  the  Legis 
lature  has  done  its  part. — Eu 
rope — America — the  State  itself 
will  look  to  you  for  the  rest. — 
The  power  vested  in  you  will 
admit  of  all  the  latitude  that 
could  be  desired,  and  may  be 
made  to  mean  anything  425^<?  425  S.  "which. 
public  safety  may  require — If  it 
is  not  exerted  proportionably, 
you  will  be  responsible  for  the 
consequences. 

Nothing,  my  dear  Sir,  can  be 
more  delicate  and  critical  than 
your  situation — a  full  discre 
tionary  power  lodged  in  your 
hands  in  conjunction  with  the 
Council — great  expectations  in 
our  allies  and  in  the  People  of 
this  country — ample  means  in 
the  State  for  great  exertions  of 
every  kind — a  powerful  part}- 
on  one  hand  to  take  advantage 
of  every  opening  to  prejudice 
you — on  the  other  popular  in 
dolence  and  avarice  averse  to 
every  measure  inconsistent  with 
present  ease  and  present  interest 
— In  this  dilemma  there  is  a 
seeming  danger,  whatever  side 
you  take;  it  remains  to  choose 
that  which  has  least  real  danger, 
and  will  best  promote  the  public 
weal.  This  in  my  opinion  clearly 
is  to  exert  the  powers  entrusted 
to  you  with  a  boldness  and  vigor 
suited  to  the  emergency 


147 


In  general,  I  esteem  it  a  good 
maxim  that  the  best  way  to  pre 
serve  the  confidence  of  the  peo 
ple  durably,  is  to  promote  their 
true  interest — there  are  particu 
lar  exigencies  when  this  maxim 
has  peculiar  force — When  any 
great  object  is  in  view,  the  popu 
lar  mind  is  roused  into  expecta 
tion  and  prepared  to  make  sacri 
fices  both  of  ease  and  property ; 

if  those  to  whom  f.hcy*26  confide  428  S.  "the  people." 
the  management  of  their  affairs 
do  not  call  them  to  make  these 
sacrifices — and  the  object  is  not 
attained,  or  they  are  involved  in 
the  reproach  of  not  having  con 
tributed  as  much  as  they  ought 
to  have  done  towards  it — they 
will  be  mortified  at  the  disap 
pointment — they  will  feel  the 
censure,  and  their  resentment 
will  rise  against  those  who  with 
sufficient  authority  have  omitted 
to  do  what  their  interest  and 
their  honor  required.  —  Exten 
sive  powers  not  exercised  as  far 
as  was  necessary  have  I  believe 
scarcely  ever  failed  to  ruin  the 
possessor — The  Legislature  and 
the  People  in  your  case  would 
be  very  glad  to  excuse  them 
selves  by  condemning  you. — 
You  would  be  assailed  with 
blame  from  every  quarter — and 
your  enemies  would  triumph. 

The  party  opposed  to  you  in 
Government  are  making  great 


148 


efforts. — I  am  told  the  bank 
established  for  supplying  the 
army  is  principally  under  the 
auspices  of  that  party ;  it  will 
undoubtedly  give  them  great 
credit  with  the  People,  and  you 
have  no  effectual  way  to  counter 
balance  this  but  by  employing 
all  your  influence  and  authority 
to  render  services  proportioned 
to  your  station.  —  Hitherto,  I 
confess  to  you  frankly,  my  dear 
sir,  I  do  not  think  your  affairs 
are  in  the  train  which  might  be 
wished;  and  if  Pennsylvania 
does  not  do  its  part  fully,  it  is 
of  so  much  importance  in  the 
general  scale  that  we  must  fail 
of  success,  or  limit  our  views  to 
mere  defence. 

I  have  conversed  with  some 
gentlemen  on  the  measure  of 
filling  your  battalions  —  they 
seemed  to  think  you  could  not 
exceed  what  the  Legislature  had 
done  for  this  purpose. — lam  of 

n    very   different   sentiment^7 —      42'  S.  "I  am   of   very   different 
The   establishment   of    Martial      sentiments." 
Law  implies,  in  my  judgment, 
the  right  of  calling  any  part  of 
your  citizens  into  military  ser 
vice,  and  in  any  manner  which 
may  be  found  expedient ;  and  I 
have  no  doubt  the  draft  may  be 
executed. 

I  write  to  you  with  the  free 
dom  of  friendship,  and  I  hope 
you  will  esteem  it  the  truest 


149 

mark  I  could  give  you  of  it. 
In  this  view,  whether  you  think 
my  observations  well  founded  or 
not,  the  motive  will,  I  am  per 
suaded,  render  them  agreeable. 
^ln,  offering  my  respects  to  Mrs.  **  8.  Omitted. 
Reed,  I  must  be  permitted  to  ac 
company  them  with  a  tender  of 
my  very  warm  acknowledgments 
to  her  and  you,  for  the  civilities 
and  attention  both  of  you  have 
been  pleased  to  shoio  Mrs.  Wash 
ington, — and  for  the  honor  you 
have  done  me  in  calling  the  young 
Christ  tan  by  my  name. 
With  the  greatest  regard, 

I  am,  Dr  Sir, 

Yr  Affecte  Hble  Servt, 
G°  WASHINGTON. 
His  ExceLy, 

Joseph  Reed,  Esq. 


XXXII. 

HEAD  QRS,  PASSAIC  FALLS, 

Oct.  18^,  1780.* 
DEAR  SIR, 

By  your  favor  of  the  third 
from  Bethlehem,  I  perceive  my 
letter  of  the  first  had  not  got 
to  your  hands ;  but  I  have  the 
pleasure  to  find  that  the  business 
you  were  upon  anticipated  the 
purposes  of  it,  and  was  in  a  fair 
way  to  answer  the  end. 


*  This,  I  believe,  is  not  in  the  Letter  Books. 
10* 


150 


Arnold's  conduct  is  so  villain 
ously  perfidious,  that  there  are 
no  terms  that™  can  describe  the  439  S.  "  which.'5 
baseness  of  his  heart — That  over 
ruling  Providence  which  has  so 
often  and  so  remarkably  inter 
posed  in  our  favor,  never  mani 
fested  itself  more  conspicuously 
than  in  the  timely  discovery  of 

his  horrid  intention  to  surrender*30  43°  S.  "  design  of  surrendering." 
the  Post  and  Garrison  of  West 
Point  into  the  hands  of  the 
Enemy. — I  confine  my  remark 
to  this  single  act  of  perfidy,  for 
I  am  far  from  thinking  he  in 
tended  to  hazard  a  defeat  of  this 
important  object  by  combining 
another  with  it,  altho'  there  were 
circumstances  which  led  to  a  con 
trary  belief. — The  confidence  and 
folly  which  7ms431  marked  the  431  S.  "have." 
subsequent  conduct  of  this  man 
are  of  a  piece  with  his  villainy; 
and  all  three  are  perfect  in  their 
kind. 

The  interest  you  take  in  my 
supposed  escape,  and  the  man 
ner  in  which  you  speak  of  it, 
claim  my  thanks  as  much  as  if 
he  really  had  intended  to  involve 
my  fate  with  that  of  the  Garri 
son — and  I  consider  it  as  a  fresh 
instance  of  your  affectionate  re 
gard  for  me. 

As   I   do   not  recollect  ever 
to   have   held™   any  very  par-      482  S.  "had." 
ticular  conversation  with  Gene 
ral  Schuyler  respecting  Arnold, 


151 

1  should  be  glad  to  obtain  a 
copy  of  the  Letter  in  which  you 
say  my  "  opinion  and  confidence 
in  him  (Arnold)  is  conveyed  in 
terms  of  affection  and  approba 
tion." — Sometime  before  or  after 
Arnold's  return  from  Connecti 
cut  (the  conversation  made  so 
little  impression  on  me  that  I 
know  not  which)  General  Schuy- 
ler  informed  me  he  had  received 
a  letter  from  Arnold  intimating 
his  intention  of  joining  the  army 
and  rendering  such  services  as 
his  leg  would  permit — adding 
that  he  was  incapable  of  active 
service — but  could  discharge  the 
duties  of  a  stationary  command, 
without  much  inconvenience  or 
uneasiness  to  his  leg. — I  an 
swered  that  as  we  had  a  pros 
pect  of  an  active  and  vigorous 
campaign,  I  should  be  glad  of 
General  Arnold's  aid  and  assist 
ance,  but  saw  little  prospect  of 
his  obtaining  such  a  command 
as  appeared  to  be  the  object  of 
his  wishes,  because  it  was  my 
intention  to  draw  my  whole 
force  into  the  field  when  we 
were  in  circumstances  to  com 
mence  our  operations  against 
New  York,  leaving  even  West 
Point  to  the  care  of  Invalids 
and  a  small  Garrison  of  Militia; 
but  if  after  this  previous  de 
claration,  the  command  of  thai**  433  S.  "  the. 
Post — for  the  reasons  he  as- 


152 


signed — would  be  more  conve 
nient  and  agreeable  to  him,  than 
a  command  in  the  field,  I  should 
readily  endulge  him — having 
had  it  hinted  to  me  by  a  very 
respectable  character,  a  member 
of  Congress  (not  Gen1  Schuyler) 
that  a  measure  of  this  kind 
would  not  be  unacceptable  to 
the  State  most  immediately  in 
terested  in  the  welfare,  and 
safety,  of  the  Post. 

This,  to  the  best  of  my  know 
ledge  and  recollection,  is  every 
syllable  that  ever  passed  between 
General  Schuyler  and  me  re 
specting  Arnold,  or  any  of  his 
concerns — the  manner,  and  the 
matter,  appeared  perfectly  unin 
teresting  to  both  of  us  at  the 
time.  He  seemed  to  have  no 
nther  view  in  communicating 
the  thing  than  because  he  was 
requested  to  do  it — and  my  an 
swer,  dictated  by  circumstances, 
you  already  have — but  how  it 
was  communicated  the  letter 
will  shew. 

That  this  Gentl"*"  (Genl  *»  S.  "That  Genl  Schuyler. 
Schuyler)  possesses  a  share  of 
my  regard  and  confidence  I  shall 
readily  acknowledge  —  a  pretty 
long  acquaintance  with  him — an 
opinion  of  his  abilities — his  in 
timate  knowledge  of  our  circum 
stances — his  candor,  as  far  as  I 
have  had  opportunities  of  form 
ing  a  judgment  of  it — added  to 


153 


personal  civilities  and  proofs  of 
u  warm  friendship,  which  I  never 
had  a  doubt  of,  would  leave  me 
without  excuse  were  I  to  with 
hold  these  from  him. 

What  ascendency  he  may  have 
over  the  army  is  more  than  I 
can  tell  —  but  I  should  not  be 
surprized  if  he  stands  in  a  fa 
vourable  point  of  view  with  re 
spect  to  their  esteem.  —  The 
means  he  took  to  acquire  a  true 
knowledge  of  their  distresses, 
while  he  was  with  ^435  —  the  re-  435  S.  "them." 
presentations  he  made  to  pro 
cure  relief  —  and  his  evident  en 
deavours  to  promote  the  objects 
for  which  he  was  appointed  — 
secmg®*  to  have  made  this  a  438  S.  "seem." 
natural  consequence. 

437  That  part   of  your   letter      437  S.  Omitted. 
K-hicJi  respects  the   exchange  of 
prisoners  will  be  made  the  sub 
ject  of  a  particular  letter  —  and 
shall  accompany  this. 

With  great  esteem  and  regard, 
I  am,  Dr  Sir, 

Yr  most  obed*  and  affe 

HWe  Servt, 
G°  WASHINGTON. 


XXXIII. 

HEAD  Q*s,  20th  Nov.  1780. 
DEAR  SIR, 

Your  favor  of  the  15th  is  just 
come  to  hand.     I  cannot  suffer 


154 

myself  to  delay  a  moment  in 
pronouncing438  if  Arnold  by  the  438  S.  "that." 
words  (in  his  letter  to  his  wife) 
"I  am  treated  with  the  greatest 
"  politeness  by  General  Washing 
ton  and  the  officers  of  the  army 
"  who  bitterly  execrate  Mr.  Reed 
"and  the  Council  for  their  vil- 
"  lainous  attempt  to  injure  me," 
meant  to  comprehend  me  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  expression,  that 
he  asserted  an  absolute  falsehood. 
It  was  at  no  time  my  inclina 
tion,  much  less  my  intention  to 

become  a  party  in  his  cause — 

and  I  certainly  could  not  be  so 

lost  to  my  own  character  as  to 

become  a  partizan  at  the  mo 
ment  I  was  called  upon  officially 

to  bring  him  to  tryal.* 

I  am  not  less  mistaken  if  he 

has  not  extended  the  former  part 

of  the  paragraph  a  little  too  far. 

True  it  is  he  seZ^-envited  some 

civilities  I  never  meant  to  shew 

him  (or  any  officer  in  arrest) — 

and  he  received  rebuke  before 

I  could  convince  him  of  the  im 
propriety  of  his  entering  upon  a 

justification  of  his   conduct  in 

my  presence — and  for  bestowing 

such  illiberal  abuse,  as  he  seemed 

disposed  to  do,  upon  those  whom 

he  denominated  his  persecutors. 
Although  you  have  done  me 

the  justice  to  disbelieve  Arnold's 


The  Italics  are  those  of  the  autograph. 


155 


assertion  to  his  wife,  a  regard  to 
my  own  feelings  claims  a  de 
claration  of  the  falsehood  of  it 
from,  Dear  Sir, 

Yr  most  obe*  and  affect6 
Hble  Servt, 

G°  WASHINGTON. 
His  Excelly, 

Joseph  Reed,  Esq. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

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